Obliques exercise
Standing Side Bend StretchHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Standing Side Bend Stretch?
- Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart and knees soft.
- Reach one arm straight up beside your ear.
- Stretch up tall, then lean sideways the other way, sliding your other hand down your leg.
- Stop when you feel a stretch along your side and hold, breathing slowly.
- Come back up to the middle and repeat on the other side.
Cues
- Reach up before you lean over.
- Lean straight sideways, not forward.
- Chest stays facing forward.
Common mistakes
- Leaning forward: keep your shoulders and hips in one flat plane.
- Twisting your chest: keep your chest facing straight ahead.
- Pushing your hips far out: keep them over your feet.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
The version in our demo
Standing, right arm reaching up and over the head, left arm long by the side with the hand sliding down the outside of the left thigh, trunk bending to the left (stretching the right side). This is the one-arm side reach from the Special Olympics guide; Healthwise's version clasps both hands overhead, and the one-arm form is easier for stiff shoulders.
Starting position
Stand tall, feet hip to shoulder width (25–30 cm between the heels), toes forward, knees soft. Stomach lightly braced, pelvis level, arms by the sides. Raise the right arm straight up beside the ear, palm facing in.
The movement
Reach up and lengthen first, then bend the trunk sideways to the left, letting the right arm arc over the head and the left hand slide down the outside of the left thigh. Stop when a stretch is felt down the right side from the hip to the armpit. Hold. The chest and hips keep facing forward (no twist, no forward lean), the hips stay over the feet and both feet stay flat.
Breathing
Breathe in to lengthen, breathe out to ease further over.
Tempo
Real sets: hold 15–30 s, 2–4 times per side, or slow alternating reaches side to side as a warm-up.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
- Left hand slides 15–20 cm down the left thigh.
- Pelvis shifts no more than 2–3 cm to the right; trunk rotation 0°; trunk flexion 0° (side camera sees no forward lean).
- Knees 5–10° flexion; head follows the spine, neck relaxed.
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Standing Side Bend Stretch is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
