Barbell Side Bend

How to do the Barbell Side Bend

1. Stand up straight while holding a barbell placed on the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck). Your feet should be shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position.
2. While keeping your back straight and your head up, bend only at the waist to the right as far as possible. Breathe in as you bend to the side. Then hold for a second and come back up to the starting position as you exhale. Tip: Keep the rest of the body stationary.
3. Now repeat the movement but bending to the left instead. Hold for a second and come back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Secondary	lower back
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Alternate Heel Touchers Bodyweight Crunch - Hands Overhead Bodyweight Crunch - Legs On Exercise Ball Bodyweight Crunches Bodyweight Decline Crunch Bodyweight Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise Bodyweight

Harder than the Barbell Side Bend

Hanging Pike expert · Bodyweight Bent Press expert · Kettlebell Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees expert · Barbell

Superset the Barbell Side Bend with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Barbell Side Bend work?

The Barbell Side Bend primarily works the abs, with the lower back as secondary movers. Suspended Fallout, Ab Crunch Machine, and Alternate Heel Touchers train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Barbell Side Bend?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Alternate Heel Touchers, Crunch - Hands Overhead, and Crunch - Legs On Exercise Ball train the same muscle, and 45 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Barbell Side Bend suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Barbell Side Bend is rated beginner. Hanging Pike, Bent Press, and Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees are the progressions from here.

Where should the Barbell Side Bend go in a workout?

Late — the Barbell Side Bend is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning and Barbell Deadlift cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Suspended Fallout Other Equipment Ab Crunch Machine Machine Alternate Heel Touchers Bodyweight Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends Cable Machine Cable Crunch Cable Machine Cable Reverse Crunch Cable Machine