Barbell Side Bent V. 2

Setup

1. 01Set a light barbell in the rack at upper chest height.
2. 02Place the bar across the upper traps as in a back squat and step out.
3. 03Set feet shoulder width with knees soft and toes forward.
4. 04Brace the trunk and keep the hips level before the first rep.

Execution

1. 01Bend the torso directly sideways, sliding the ribs toward one hip.
2. 02Stop when you feel a strong stretch in the opposite side.
3. 03Pull yourself back to upright using the stretched obliques.
4. 04Continue slightly past vertical if training both directions, or reset and alternate sides.

Checkpoints

• -Movement stays in the frontal plane with no forward lean or twist.
• -Hips stay level and do not shift sideways under the bar.
• -The bar stays balanced and level across the back.
• -Range is controlled by the obliques, not by momentum.

Common mistakes

• -Loading too heavy and turning the bend into a hip shift.
• -Rotating the torso instead of bending purely sideways.
• -Bouncing out of the bottom of the stretch.
• -Letting the bar roll on the neck during the bend.