Core · Rotation and anti-rotation
Cable Side Bend
The Cable Side Bend mainly trains your obliques. Also working: lower back and forearms.
One cable
Stable
How to do it
- Stand side-on next to the pulley, handle in your inside hand
- Bend sideways toward the machine
- Come up using the opposite side and bend slightly past upright
- Don’t drift forward or back: then switch sides
Coach’s tip
Imagine you’re standing between two panes of glass. Hold the handle at the top for ten seconds instead and it becomes a suitcase hold for your deep core muscles.
Noticeably loads the lower back. If you tell DCFT that this joint bothers you, the app leaves exercises like this one out and picks a better supported alternative.
Setup
Pulley
Pulley at the bottom
Grip
Single handle in the hand nearest the machine
Load
One cable
You need
Single handles
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (rotation and anti-rotation). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Cable Side Bend work?
Mainly the obliques. The lower back and forearms help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Cable Side Bend?
Pulley: Pulley at the bottom. Grip: Single handle in the hand nearest the machine.
What can I do instead of the Cable Side Bend?
For the same movement: Cable Wood Chop, Pallof Press and Kneeling Cable Wood Chop. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Cable Side Bend in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.