Standing Side Bend

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and reach one arm straight up overhead.
2. Bend your torso gently away from the raised arm as that arm reaches over the top of your head.
3. Keep both hips and your chest facing forward so the movement stays a side bend rather than a twist.
4. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly and lengthening through the raised arm.
5. Return to upright with control and lower the arm before changing sides.
6. Repeat with the opposite arm overhead, increasing the lean gradually as the obliques warm up.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips swing out as you lean — this kills the oblique stretch and shifts load to the lower back.
• Twisting the torso forward or back instead of bending purely sideways, which dulls the side-body lengthening.
• Forcing depth in the first few seconds rather than letting the breath ease you deeper over time.
• Tensing the shoulder of the raised arm — the arm should reach long but stay relaxed at the trap.