Abdominals - Side Trunk Raise - Hyperextension Bench

Abdominals - Side Trunk Raise - Hyperextension Bench

In this lesson you will learn how to do side trunk raises on a horizontal hyperextension bench. This exercise trains your obliques, the sides of your abdominals. The animation above shows left side trunk raises. For the right side, do the whole thing the other way around. Find more abdominal exercises at weight training and bodybuilding.

Execution

  • Lie sideways on a horizontal hyperextension bench and hook your feet under the foot pads. A horizontal hyperextension bench is a hyperextension bench where the hip pad and the foot pads are at the same height. Always hook the lower leg under the front foot pad and the upper leg under the rear foot pad. Don't fully extend your knees. If the hip pad is too hard, put a foam piece or a mat between your hips and the pad. The left hand rests ont the hip and the right arms hangs down relaxed. You can also put your hands behind your head or hold a dumbbell in the hanging hand. Start with your head slightly below hip level.
  • Bend up until your left obliques are fully contracted and exhale at the same time.
    Don't twist your upper body when you do side trunk raises and don't create momentum.
  • Then go back to the beginning position and inhale slowly. The down-motion should be slightly slower than the up motion. At the lowest position, the left oblique is stretched slightly.

Advice

  • Move slowly and concentrated.
  • I recommend 2 sets of 15 to 30 repetitions per side.
  • To make this exercise more intensive, hold a dumbbell in your right / left hand.
  • If you don't have a hyperextension bench, you can also do this exercise on a flat bench.
    Ask a training partner to support your legs.