Dumbbell Side Bend (Obliques)

The dumbbell side bend is an isolation exercise which builds muscle and strength in the oblique muscles of the core. Now, there’s been much debate about this exercise regarding female lifters because there’s a belief it will create bulky obliques.

But, this is simply untrue if training with lighter dumbbells, and performing this movement will give a nice “V line” to your core. But, the lateral flexion of the movement is also beneficial for strengthening the spine. So, train according to your goals and feel free to perform the exercise to your preference.

In This Exercise:

• Target muscle Group: Internal and External Obliques
• Type: Strength
• Mechanics: Isolation
• Equipment: Dumbbell
• Difficulty: Beginner

Exercise Instructions

1. Hold a dumbbell in your one hand while standing straight.
2. Then, bend your torso down to the left side and contract your left oblique muscle.
3. Stand straight up and repeat for the desired number of reps.
4. Switch sides and repeat the exercise.

Variations & Tips:

• You can also alternate sides to work both obliques in one set.
• The heavier the dumbbell, the more muscle you’ll build for your obliques.
• The dumbbell side bend targets the oblique muscle of the core.

Watch: How to do the dumbbell side bend