Core · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Side Bend
How to do the dumbbell side bend, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell in one hand at your side with your arm extended and place your other hand on your hip. Keeping your hips square and facing forward, bend straight to the side, lowering the dumbbell toward your knee. Use your opposite oblique to pull your torso back upright, then repeat for reps and switch sides.
- 1Feel your obliques stretch on the way down and contract on the way up
- 2Keep your hips square and your spine tall
- 3Squeeze your side hard at the top of each rep
Common mistakes
- Avoid rotating your torso or leaning forward
- Don't bend backward; only to the side
- Avoid using momentum; move under control
Muscles worked
The dumbbell side bend mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs and lower abs assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- QuadsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell side bend for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.