Form cues
- Keep hips level
- Reach upward first
- Don’t twist
- Bend directly sideways
Exercise
Side Bend Stretch
Back, body weight
A standing lateral bending stretch focusing on lengthening the obliques and side body muscles.
Target: obliques. Also works: latissimus dorsi, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae.
This one is filed as mobility. It shows in warm-up and cool-down, and in search.
Steps
- Stand or sit tall with spine neutral.
- Raise right arm overhead.
- Slowly bend torso to the left, keeping hips steady.
- Hold stretch for time, feeling the pull in your side.
- Return to start and repeat on the other side.
Common mistakes
- Twisting trunk
- Tilting forward/backward
- Dropping shoulder
Breathing
Exhale as you bend, inhale as you return to upright.
In the app, search for Side Bend Stretch and add it to a workout.