Dumbbell Side Bends

[bobs7447]

I'm wondering what has been the experience of others with this exercise? Did it make any difference if you did them? I've read that some bodybuilders believe they just add to your waist and work against the tapered look that bodybuilders strive for. Others disagree. What's your take on this?

[kimsquit]

I'm wondering what has been the experience of others with this exercise? Did it make any difference if you did them? I've read that some bodybuilders believe they just add to your waist and work against the tapered look that bodybuilders strive for. Others disagree. What's your take on this?

in all honesty, I've never seen a bodybuilder do these

[IronCharles]

in all honesty, I've never seen a bodybuilder do these

Me either.

The only people I see do these are ultra skinny teenage girls, and really fat people.





Building the obliques will make you look wider. If you want to look like a Greek statue, that's great. If you want to win a bodybuilding competition, I'd recommend against it.

[KLR650]

I'm wondering what has been the experience of others with this exercise? Did it make any difference if you did them? I've read that some bodybuilders believe they just add to your waist and work against the tapered look that bodybuilders strive for. Others disagree. What's your take on this?

I wish I could do these, but I ruptured my QL so any attempt will result in me being immobilized for weeks.

They are excellent exercises for building your Quadratus Lumborum (QL I spoke of), along with your obliques. But you have to go easy on them because it's easy to hurt yourself.

[beancntr]

Me either.

The only people I see do these are ultra skinny teenage girls, and really fat people.





Building the obliques will make you look wider. If you want to look like a Greek statue, that's great. If you want to win a bodybuilding competition, I'd recommend against it.

QFT. I did them for a while and now wish I hadn't. Definitely made me look wider which is not what I'm looking for.

[Maluket]

The only people I see do these are ultra skinny teenage girls, and really fat people.

I guess put me in the fat people category. I'm not ever going to be competitive, let alone compete, so other people's standards of which muscles should and shouldn't be big don't really factor into it for me. I exercise my obliques like any other muscle. I don't know if it's a great exercise, but dumbbell side bends are a simple exercise for them. They're also a grip workout since I've stopped using straps. It's a race to see what gives out first, my obliques or my grip.

[IronCharles]

I guess put me in the fat people category. I'm not ever going to be competitive, let alone compete, so other people's standards of which muscles should and shouldn't be big don't really factor into it for me. I exercise my obliques like any other muscle. I don't know if it's a great exercise, but dumbbell side bends are a simple exercise for them. They're also a grip workout since I've stopped using straps. It's a race to see what gives out first, my obliques or my grip.

No offense intended. I was simply stating my own personal observations. I'm sure people of all sorts do that exercise, and if it helps you to achieve your own personal goals, then more power to you!

[Maluket]

No offense intended. I was simply stating my own personal observations.

None taken. I just thought it was amusing that your observation applied in my case.

[J.Ho]

None taken. I just thought it was amusing that your observation applied in my case.

OT , that's one bitchin' beard you have there, rock on !

I can't grow one, it comes in all patchy...

[rob440]

QFT. I did them for a while and now wish I hadn't. Definitely made me look wider which is not what I'm looking for.

This will be the result^^^. The trainers at my gym have people do weighted side bends all the time it drives me nuts because people mistakenly think they will reduce their waist size by doing them. Wrong! Its just logic load a muscle with weight move it through its range of motion and what will happen? Growth thats the end result. I see the same mentality with abdominal exercises, you cannot reduce your waist size with these either yet thats the area that people focus on and the infomercials tell you to focus on. If you see it on TV it has to be true right? 60 seconds a day or 60 minutes, not going to work. A vigorous leg work out would do more to shrink your waist than any midsection exercise ever could. Just compare the percentage of your muscle mass used in a set of squats verses a set of weighted side bends or crunches. Which one will have a bigger metabolic effect? Seems like simple logic to me but I understand how confusing it can be in this world of marketing and misinformation.

[bdruff]

I was just looking to see the opinion on these. I see everybody in the gym doing them. These and shrugs. Years ago, I met a guy that told me exactly what has been said here. He competed in body building contests and had a trainer. It was his trainer that had corrected him. He said you will grow that muscle but it doesn't have the desired look. I've never done them but I see everybody else so I wondered. Won't tel anybody not to, but I'm not doing them.

[TheIronMaster]

Try side planks to help with stability. I was showed these in therapy they helped alot with some issues i was having.

[Notevenlegs]

Can't remember where I read it, but apparently they don't even work your obliques, they work a muscle deep in your lower back.

[TheIronMaster]

Muscles involved in the side plank include:
Primary: transverse abdominus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles (abductors), the adductor muscles of the hip, and the external and internal obliques.[8]
Secondary: gluteus maximus (glutes), quadriceps (quads), and hamstrings.

[BigRowbin35]

I'm wondering what has been the experience of others with this exercise? Did it make any difference if you did them? I've read that some bodybuilders believe they just add to your waist and work against the tapered look that bodybuilders strive for. Others disagree. What's your take on this?

Eh bobs7447 BigRowbin35 at your service. Just to shed some light on your question, dumbell side bends not only target your abs, buy also
your obliques (the muscles at the sides of your waist). I can understand why there is a debate. Let me tell you bobs7447, if you do this
movement with light dumbells your obliques should be fine, mind you if heavy dumbells are used the obliques, like any other muscle group
will grow ruining one's v-taper.

I hope this information has been answered.

Keep training

BigRowbin35

Personal Trainer

[grubman]

Eh bobs7447 BigRowbin35 at Your service.

Thank God! He's been waiting 6 years for you to come along!

[akaMarko]

A good video on oblique training and why side bends aren't good for slimming the waist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VzCnJW1Meg

[Plateauplower]

Eh bobs7447 BigRowbin35 at your service. Just to shed some light on your question, dumbell side bends not only target your abs, buy also
your obliques (the muscles at the sides of your waist). I can understand why there is a debate. Let me tell you bobs7447, if you do this
movement with light dumbells your obliques should be fine, mind you if heavy dumbells are used the obliques, like any other muscle group
will grow ruining one's v-taper.

I hope this information has been answered.

Keep training

BigRowbin35

Personal Trainer

Mr. BigRowbin35, Thank you for reviving this thread from the depths of the BB.com servers. In your opinion how big is too big of a dumbbell for this move? I see you referenced dumbbells plural would that be multiple small dumbbells in the same hand or one or two in each hand?

I would like to not lose my V taper but have been advised I could do side-bends and sit-ups by sir mix a lot....

I look forward to the information to my answer or however you say that

[Squid24]

He's a Personal Trainer that can't read it appears

[Corbi]

I will personally come to your gym and bitch slap anyone who does these asinine sidebends, even worse is when these people do them with a weight in each hand.....whats the fukkin point?

[Bando]

I see you referenced dumbbells plural would that be multiple small dumbbells in the same hand or one or two in each hand?

Since the intercostal and serratus are separate small bands of muscle, ideally you want to hold multiple small dumbells in each hand.

Pretty basic stuff.

[EjnarKolinkar]

I think suitcase carry, or one arm - offset farmers walks would be a better use of time in the gym to build up strength and muscle: