Exercise
45° SIDE BEND (HANDS BEHIND HEAD)
Stand
Squat
Form cues
Keep both hands lightly supporting the head — do not pull on the neck
Bend laterally, not forward — your movement should be purely in the frontal plane
Lower under control and raise using the obliques, not by pushing off with the hands
Full range of motion: lower until you feel the side stretch, raise until the torso is vertical
Breathe out on the rise; breathe in on the lower
This exercise is best performed on a hyperextension bench but can be adapted to a mat
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Position yourself on a hyperextension bench (45-degree bench) with the side of your upper thigh resting on the padded surface and your lower leg secured under the leg pad.
Place both hands behind your head, fingertips lightly touching your temples.
Allow your torso to lower laterally toward the floor, feeling a stretch in the side of your torso.
Using your obliques, raise your torso back up to a neutral position — or slightly past neutral if your mobility allows. Hold briefly at the top.
Complete all reps on one side, then rotate the bench setup and repeat on the other side. This exercise directly strengthens the lateral core, including the obliques and quadratus lumborum.