Weighted Ball Side Bend

How to do the Weighted Ball Side Bend

1. To begin, lie down on an exercise ball with your left side of the torso (waist, hips and shoulder) pressed against the ball.
2. Your feet should be on the floor while your legs are crossed and hanging from the ball. Hold a weighted plate with your right hand directly to the right side of your head. Tip: Make sure the smooth side of the plate is resting against your head.
3. Place your left arm across your torso so that your palm is on your obliques. There should be a right angle between your left forearm and upper arm. This is the starting position.
4. Raise the side of your torso up by laterally flexing at the waist while exhaling.
5. Hold the contraction for a second and slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position while inhaling.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
7. Switch sides and repeat the exercise.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Equipment	exercise ball
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	isolation

No exercise ball? 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

Easier than the Weighted Ball Side Bend

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Alternate Heel Touchers beginner · Bodyweight Barbell Side Bend beginner · Barbell Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends beginner · Cable Machine

Harder than the Weighted Ball Side Bend

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

Superset the Weighted Ball Side Bend with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Weighted Ball Hyperextension lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Weighted Ball Side Bend work?

The Weighted Ball Side Bend primarily works the abs. Ab Crunch Machine, Alternate Heel Touchers, and Barbell Side Bend train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Weighted Ball Side Bend?

An Exercise Ball. Without an exercise ball, 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 Weighted Ball Side Bend suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Alternate Heel Touchers, Barbell Side Bend, and Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends and work up.

Where should the Weighted Ball Side Bend go in a workout?

Late — the Weighted Ball Side Bend is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Weighted Ball Hyperextension and Barbell Deadlift cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Ab Crunch Machine Machine Alternate Heel Touchers Bodyweight Barbell Side Bend Barbell Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends Cable Machine Cable Crunch Cable Machine Cable Reverse Crunch Cable Machine