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Exercise guide

Weighted Ball Side Bend

How to do the Weighted Ball Side Bend with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationExercise BallIntermediatePull
Primary muscles

Abs

Secondary

Equipment

Exercise Ball

Step by step

How to do the Weighted Ball Side Bend

  1. 1

    To begin, lie down on an exercise ball with your left side of the torso (waist, hips and shoulder) pressed against the ball.

  2. 2

    Your feet should be on the floor while your legs are crossed and hanging from the ball. Hold a weighted plate with your right hand directly to the right side of your head. Tip: Make sure the smooth side of the plate is resting against your head.

  3. 3

    Place your left arm across your torso so that your palm is on your obliques. There should be a right angle between your left forearm and upper arm. This is the starting position.

  4. 4

    Raise the side of your torso up by laterally flexing at the waist while exhaling.

  5. 5

    Hold the contraction for a second and slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position while inhaling.

  6. 6

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

  7. 7

    Switch sides and repeat the exercise.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Weighted Ball Side Bend set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your abs volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More abs exercises

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