Side Bends
How to do side bends properly, with perfect form and technique! The best oblique exercise for a strong core, abs, and abdominals!
Purpose:
- Increase Oblique Activation
- Increase Oblique Strength
Prime Movers:
- Obliques
- Rectus Abdominis (Abs)
How To Do Side Bends Properly
- While standing erect with feet shoulder-width, grab a weight with one hand and hold it to your side. This could be a dumbbell, kettlebell, plate, cable attachment or anything you can find.
- Hold the weight slightly behind you so that your shoulder is back and down.
- While keeping your hips fixed, side bend and lean your torso towards the weight until you feel your opposing obliques stretch.
- Then, flex your obliques hard to lean away and raise the weight. Hold this side bend position for 1-2 seconds.
- Then, control the descent and begin again.
- Make sure you do not twist as you flex laterally. Stay in the same vetical plane.
Note: If you hold a weight in both hands then they will counterbalance each other and this exercise will lose its effectiveness. Do one side at a time!
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