Toolbox Aid

May 22nd, 2023 6:00 PM Mr. Q Categories: Barbell

Type:

Equipment:

Barbell side bends are an exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the core, specifically the obliques. It involves bending sideways while holding a barbell to strengthen and tone the side muscles of the abdomen.

Possible Stretches to do prior to exercise:

• Side bends
• Standing side stretch
• Torso twists

Warmups to do prior to exercise:

• Perform light cardio exercises like jogging or jumping jacks to increase blood flow and warm up the body.
• Do some dynamic stretches for the core, such as torso rotations or standing side stretches.

How to select the proper weight: Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form and control throughout the exercise. Start with a lighter weight if you’re new to the exercise and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable and stronger. The weight should provide enough resistance to challenge your oblique muscles without compromising your posture.

Proper form:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell behind your neck, resting it on your shoulders.
2. Keep your back straight and engage your core.
3. Inhale and slowly bend to the side, lowering the weight towards your knee while maintaining a vertical position with your torso.
4. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, feeling the stretch on the opposite side of the bend.
5. Exhale and engage your obliques to return to the starting position, keeping your back straight and torso vertical.
6. Repeat the movement on the other side, bending to the opposite side.
7. Alternate sides for the prescribed number of reps.

How to reduce the difficulty: To make the exercise easier, you can:

• Use a lighter weight or no weight at all, and focus on perfecting your form.
• Perform the exercise without any external resistance, using only your body weight.
• Decrease the range of motion by not bending as deeply to the side.

How to increase difficulty: To make the exercise more challenging, you can:

• Increase the weight you’re holding, either by using a heavier barbell or by adding weights to the barbell.
• Perform the exercise with a single-arm, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand while performing the side bend.
• Slow down the tempo of the movement, emphasizing the eccentric (lowering) phase and controlling the return to the starting position.

Reps:

• Beginner: 8-12 reps
• Intermediate: 12-15 reps
• Advanced: 15-20 reps

Estimated time for exercise: 10-15 minutes