Is the Side Bend a Bad Exercise? Why Context and Your Ribcage Position Matter
Oct 17, 2026
Every exercise has its moment on the internet to be scrutinized and demonized, and the side bend has had its moment. (Don't believe me? Type "side bend" into the search bar.)
Controversy gets views
Let's face it, controversy gets clicks. The usual playbook goes like this: tell someone what they're doing wrong, give them a solution, become an expert, then sell them a "snatched waist" program.
Or you can assume people genuinely want good advice and are capable of understanding complexity. Then you talk to them about why they might not get as much out of an exercise, and how you can tweak it so it isn't just a back exercise that makes your waist thicker and breaks your spine.
What's going on in a side bend
For most people, the ribcage is shifted forward in space over the pelvis. In a side bend they end up recruiting more of their back muscles, particularly in the pesky side bend variation.
Layer on hips that are a bit more lax and can't stabilize as well, and you end up moving in places you aren't meant to move.
No exercise will give you a snatched waist
Claiming that any exercise will get you a snatched waist is nonsense. I prefer to use exercises as a way to improve movement quality and enhance performance. So the better question is what a particular variation of the side bend is doing for you.
Watch more
Breathing in Extension, Not Just Flexion
Keep exploring
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