Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Dumbbell Side Bend: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell side bend is an isolation exercise targeting the oblique muscles and abs. It involves holding a dumbbell in one hand and bending sideways at the waist to work the core.

Primary muscles
Abs
Secondary muscles
Obliques
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell side bend
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell side bend. Primary: abs. Secondary: obliques.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell side bend. Primary: abs. Secondary: obliques.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell side bend

  1. Step 1: Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand, letting it hang down by your side.
  2. Step 2: Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, slowly bend sideways at the waist towards the opposite side of the dumbbell, lowering the weight as far as you comfortably can.
  3. Step 3: Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position.
  4. Step 4: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides and repeat.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell side bend by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Side Bend alternatives

More exercises that train the abs as their main target:

More abs exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.