I did kettlebell side bends every day for a week — here's what happened to my abs

It’s no secret that your abdominal and core muscles are not a single muscle, but a group of muscles that work together to provide stability, support, and movement to your torso. That’s why it’s important to do a combination of exercises that target different muscles in your midsection.

One area I feel like I need to incorporate more into my ab training is my obliques. To change this, I grabbed one of my best kettlebells and did kettlebell sidebends every day for a week.

Building a strong core is a fundamental element for anyone striving to excel in fitness. That’s exactly why I include side bends at the end of my regular strength training routine. And frankly, you can also add some definition around your obliques.

Before I explain what I noticed during and after a week of kettlebell sidebends, it’s important to remember that a comprehensive core training routine involves more than just one exercise. But I tried this exercise to see if it was worth adding to my regular training to further strengthen my obliques.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

How to do a kettlebell sidebend

Kettlebell side bends are a valuable addition to core training workouts due to their adaptability to individual fitness levels and the functional nature of the exercise, which is made more accessible by the required body positioning.

I spoke to National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Regional Master Instructor Wendy Butts about this beneficial exercise, and she gave us the lowdown on how to properly perform a kettlebell sidebend. Here’s how:

Iro of a woman doing dumbbell side bends

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Hold a kettlebell in one hand, palms facing in and at the sides of your body, feet hip-to-armpit width apart, facing straight ahead and standing tall.
Place your opposite hand behind your head to ensure ideal posture and minimize slouching.
Tilting and tucking your pelvis will help your lower back and hips reach and maintain a neutral position, neither too arched nor too flat, so that your hips are in line with your knees and ankles.
Grasp the kettlebell firmly, keep your chest up, and inhale as you lower your upper body to the same side as the kettlebell. Don’t rotate your upper body or hips, only focus on lateral bending, and keep your feet flat on the floor.
As you exhale, sidebend in the opposite direction (away from the kettlebell) as much as possible.
Pause and repeat the movement as many times as necessary.

It’s important to be careful about the weight you use according to your current strength and fitness level.

I use this to train at home. Bowflex Celetec 840 Kettlebell, an adjustable kettlebell. This design allows you to switch between different weight settings using a simple dial mechanism, which is not only convenient but also a safety measure, allowing you to choose weights that challenge yourself without risking overexertion or strain. You will be able to choose. With adjustable weights like this, you can also work on gradual overload at home.

What are the benefits of kettlebell side bends?

According to Butts, kettlebell side bends are a great exercise for not only loading the obliques, but also the quadratus lumborum, which is an important lateral stabilizer/supporter of the spine and pelvis.

She goes on to say, “Most people primarily challenge their abdominal muscles through forward and backward movements such as crunches and back extensions, and tend to neglect lateral (sideways) and rotational movements.

By laterally loading your core, kettlebell side bends improve your ability to control lateral flexion of your spine and pelvis, promoting a more rounded and complete core exercise routine. This is very applicable to both activities of daily life, such as carrying shopping. Bags, suitcases, athletics, etc. ”

I did kettlebell side bends every day for a week – this is what happened to my abs

Everything I noticed after adding this exercise to my daily workout for a week…

I liked that I could work with a lot of weight.

Don’t get me wrong. I love that many of my sit-ups can be completed with just my own body weight and still get results. However, I liked the stability of this standing sit-up exercise, and felt that I could do sit-ups with a heavier weight than doing things like weighted toe touches.

The obliques play an important role in stabilizing the torso, especially during lateral movements such as lateral bends, so work confidently with an adjustable kettlebell set at 25 pounds (11 kg) I felt like I could do it and complete the movement in a controlled way.

If you’re thinking of trying kettlebell side bends, always prioritize safety and listen to your body when choosing weights for your workout.

I really felt it in my obliques.

In my experience, I can truly feel my obliques working when I perform kettlebell side bends every day. Side-to-side bending effectively targets the obliques, and it’s not uncommon to feel a slight sensation or “ache” in the obliques when these muscles are worked intensively. However, it’s important to distinguish between the discomfort associated with a muscle strain and the actual pain caused by the strain or injury.

During the week-long experiment, no visible results were observed, but this is not surprising since this usually requires a long-term commitment. If you really want to see substantial results, consider incorporating kettlebell side bends into your balanced core routine while maintaining consistency over time. Achieving a toned core is also influenced by reducing body fat through a balanced diet and regular exercise.

It was very quick and easy

I’ve found kettlebell side bends to be very useful to add into your week. During the week, I like to do a combination of exercises such as strength sessions, running, stretching, and cycling (FYI, this was on a good week, it’s not like this every week), so , I wasn’t looking for something time consuming. It takes too much time.

As I mentioned before, I’m lucky enough to have my own kettlebell that I can work on at home. This means it’s very easy to do it first thing in the morning, and it’s very easy to do it in the evening if you forget to put it on during your gym session. I meant it. To prove how fast it is, I only finished his 5 minutes at the beginning of the podcast after completing his 4 sets of side bends.

Even if you don’t have your own kettlebell, this doesn’t stop you if you have a gym membership. All gyms are equipped with kettlebells, and if you don’t have access to one during your session, it’s perfectly fine to perform this movement with dumbbells.

I did kettlebell side bends every day for a week – my verdict

Will you continue doing kettlebell sidebends in your regular fitness routine? Absolutely. I found this exercise to be very time efficient and really worth my time. My obliques were solid and worked, and it was a great way to get a feel for what it feels like to work your core.

It may sound silly, but what does it feel like when you’re in a yoga class, learning a new strength workout, or someone reminds you to work your core? Sometimes you have to concentrate on what is. On the other hand, working my core with kettlebell side bends felt natural and like a nice reminder of what that should feel like.

Whether you’re new to core training or using an abs machine, this is a great one to learn as you can work with any weight that’s comfortable for you and the form isn’t too complex or difficult to master. It’s a movement.

wendy butts

Wendy Batts is a Regional Master Instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and an Assistant Professor in the Exercise Science Program at Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest). Wendy has a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion, and she is a certified massage therapist specializing in neuromuscular therapy.

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