# Standing Side Bend Stretch

A standing side-bending stretch for the obliques and side of your torso. It improves comfortable lateral trunk mobility while you hold the end position.

- Beginner · Mobility
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/standing-lateral-stretch/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/standing-side-bend-stretch/

## Muscles worked

- Obliques: 7/10
- Lower back: 4/10
- Abs: 3/10

## How to do the Standing Side Bend Stretch

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Place one hand behind your head, opposite arm by thigh.
3. Bend sideways and slide your free hand down your thigh.
4. Hold a comfortable stretch without twisting or leaning forward.
5. Return upright and repeat on the other side.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Stand tall with feet about hip width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Place one hand behind your head and let the opposite arm hang by your thigh.
3. Tighten your stomach and keep your shoulders level.
4. Slide your free hand down the outside of your thigh by bending sideways at the trunk.
5. Lean until you reach a comfortable stretch without twisting or leaning forward.
6. Hold the stretch for the prescribed duration.
7. Return upright, then repeat on the opposite side.

## Common mistakes

- Twisting the torso while bending sideways
- Leaning forward instead of directly sideways
- Letting the hips drift to one side
- Pulling the head with the hand
- Bouncing at the end range

## Form cues

- Keep shoulders level
- Bend only sideways
- Keep chest facing forward
- Slide hand down thigh

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 30 s · 6 reps in reserve
- **Muscle growth**: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 30 s · 6 reps in reserve
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps · rest 20 s · 6 reps in reserve

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- **This exercise: Standing Side Bend Stretch — Beginner**
- Harder: [Hand Supported Gate Pose](https://seto.fit/exercises/hand-supported-gate-pose/) — Beginner

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Standing Side Bend Stretch work?

Primary: Obliques 7/10. Also works: Lower back 4/10, Abs 3/10.

### When should I do the Standing Side Bend Stretch in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 3 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Standing Side Bend Stretch?

Strength: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps, rest 20 s, 6 reps in reserve.

### What is a harder version of the Standing Side Bend Stretch?

Hand Supported Gate Pose (Beginner).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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