Side Bends

Position: A standing position with the feet wide apart; the farther apart, the better. Both hands are at the sides and a dumbbell is grasped in one hand only.

Action: Keeping both knees locked, the trunk is bent directly to the side on which the dumbbell is held until the weight is level with the knee joint. The body is then brought back to the erect position and the trunk is inclined slightly past the perpendicular on the other side.

During the movement the elbow of the lifting arm and the knees must remain straight. After doing the required number of counts on one side, the dumbbell should be shifted to the other hand and the movement repeated the same number of times on that side.

Breathing: Exhale as the body is inclined to the side and inhale as the erect position is regained.

Progression: This motion should be started with 7 counts on each side and 1 count added each week until 12 counts have been performed on each side for 3 periods of exercise. Then 2½ lbs. or 5 lbs. should be added to the weight and the motion begun again at 7 counts.

Goal: Girls and women should work up to a resistance of 25 lbs, with counts up to 20 on each side when it is not too difficult. Boys and men should work up to a resistance of 50 lbs. in this motion. The heavier body types will find extra benefit if they work up to 20 or more counts on each side instead of the recommended 12.

Results: This movement has the same effect on the muscles and organs as the side exercise previously described. It is a more advanced movement than the other because all of the resistance is on one side of the body, making it more effort to regain the erect position.

Comments: In this exercise, as in the side exercise with the bar on the shoulders, there is a tendency to lean too much to the front. The best results are had by bending directly to the side.

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