Lateral line
Overhead side bend
Movement guide
Overhead side bend
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Existing guide · editorial review pending. Clinical review is pending.
Sources and review status
Sources support the educational description; they do not establish that this exercise is suitable for you.
- Wilke 2016 · myofascial chains
No variation is labeled clinically validated.
Reach one arm overhead and bend away from it, keeping both feet heavy. You are opening the long seam that runs from ankle to armpit, one of the most under-stretched lines in a chair-shaped life.
Make it easier or harder
Choose a version that fits your control and comfort.
Easier option
3D demoSeated overhead side bendBeginner · A bench or boxSuggested next step, beginner grade.
Harder option
3D demoOverhead lat stretch at a bench (elbows on the bench)Intermediate · A bench or boxSimilar move, intermediate grade.
How to do it
- 01Stand tall, feet hip-width, both feet pressing evenly into the floor.
- 02Reach one arm overhead and let the other rest on your hip or slide down your thigh.
- 03Exhale and bend sideways away from the raised arm, reaching long rather than collapsing.
- 04Breathe into the open ribs for a slow breath or two, then rise on an inhale and switch sides.
Mistakes that waste your reps
- Twisting forward or backward instead of bending purely sideways.
- Letting the opposite foot peel off the floor, which shortens the very line you are stretching.
- Crunching the bottom ribs down instead of reaching the top arm long.
Where this comes from
Discomfort that eases as you move is normal; pain that sharpens is a stop sign. If this area is injured or persistently painful, a clinician outranks this page.
Written by Kyle Jenkin · updated August 31, 2026 · how we grade evidence
Pairs well with
What it works
Muscles
Works the mid back, shoulders and core. Individual muscles are not yet classified.
Equipment
None: body weight and floor space.
Level
Beginner. See the easier and harder options above.
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Part of a staged plan, with when to get help first.
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Questions people ask
What muscles does the Overhead side bend work?
It works the mid back, shoulders and core.
What equipment do I need for the Overhead side bend?
No equipment: your body weight and a little floor space.
Is the Overhead side bend good for beginners?
It is graded beginner, so it suits most people starting out. When it feels easy, try the Overhead lat stretch at a bench (elbows on the bench).
What is an easier alternative to the Overhead side bend?
Try the Seated overhead side bend. It is the suggested step down from this move.
How do I make the Overhead side bend harder?
Progress to the Overhead lat stretch at a bench (elbows on the bench). Follow that guide’s technique and any stated timing.
One move is a start. A thread is better.
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