Workout of the Week: Standing Side Bends

Each Friday, we’ll have a new Workout of the Week (WOW) for you.  We hope you’ll try it out over the weekend and then build it into your daily routine Monday through Friday of the coming week.  These workout ideas will be simple, appropriate for people of various ages and abilities, and allow you to fit a little more physical activity into your week!

This week’s workout focuses on building core strength. Your core is considered to be your pelvic, hip, and abdominal (“ab”) regions. According to a study done by Harvard Health, having a strong core can help improve movement, balance, and lower your chances of back injury. Remember, the more active muscles, the more calories being burned! If you have back problems, osteoporosis or other health concerns, talk to your doctor before doing this core-strengthening exercise.

Try this workout at home:

Standing side bends: Standing straight up, spread your feet till about shoulder length apart. In one hand hold something with a little weight. It can be a 5 lb. barbell or a can of soup, just as long as it has some weight. Then simply bend slightly to the side of your body you are using to hold the weight. Most ab exercises only work front to back, but the sideways motion of side bends are especially adept at toning hard-to-reach oblique and lower back muscles. For best results, tighten your stomach muscles while doing side bends. Once you’ve completed the side bends on one side, switch the weight to your other hand and do another set. Every day this week, try doing one set of 15-25 repetitions on each side. If one set isn’t challenging enough for you, increase the number of sets to see what works best for you.

Need assistance with this workout?  Click here to check out a video of standing side bends being performed.

Want more fitness ideas?  If you’re a Health Advocate member with access to the Wellness Coaching program, reach out to your Wellness Coach for more healthy ideas to get—and stay—fit.

Remember, before beginning any new fitness regimen, talk to your doctor to make sure the workout is right for you.