The dumbbell side
bend is an extremely popular but ineffective exercise meant to target the waist. Side bends are performed standing, by holding
a weight in each hand and leaning sideways.
This is a useless exercise for several reasons:
1. You cannot spot reduce. The only way to lose inches from the midsection is to lose body fat through a combination of diet and exercise.
1. You cannot spot reduce. The only way to lose inches from the midsection is to lose body fat through a combination of diet and exercise.
2. Many experts
question the safety of repetitive lateral spinal flexion. Bad form can also make this a high-risk
exercise; it is often done with locked knees, which puts stress on the spine.
3. The mechanics of
the movement make it a waste of time. If you
are holding two weights, when you lean to the right side, the weight in the
left hand will help you get back up.
If you insist on
keeping this exercise in your routine, you can make it more effective by just
using one dumbbell. Make it even harder
by balancing on one foot. For more
effective and safe abdominal exercises, see posts from Nov. 2010.
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