In this post we discuss how to train side bend for golf and why you’re probably not doing it right at the moment.
At a glance
Most golfers don’t train the muscles that create side bend.
Pros often side bend too much; amateurs not enough.
Around 35° of trunk side bend is ideal.
Most side bend occurs at the lumbar spine, focus there.
Train it under load to build strength and control.
Most right-handers are weaker on the left side — fix the imbalance.
Strong, balanced side benders = more power, less pain.
Introduction
Take a look online for articles on side bend in the golf swing and you’ll find plenty of tips and stretches to help you incorporate this motion into your swing.
You won’t find much on how to actually train the muscles that side bend your trunk.
And I haven’t found one that shows you how to do this well – hence this post.
Side bend in the golf swing: Pros v amateurs
According to Dr Greg Rose over at the Titleist Performance Institute, many professional golfers are now side bending too much in the swing and causing themselves back pain.
Amateurs, on the other hand, are generally not side bending enough.
Whether you’re doing too much of it, or not enough, the fact that it needs to happen means you should train it.
This will add power to your swing and reduce your risk of pain and injury.
How much side bend is ideal in the golf swing?
One of the first things I look for in the golfers I train is whether they can produce this motion under load. In other words, can they actively move their trunk into a side bend position.
Most assessments of side bend take place with the golfer standing upright. This creates two problems:
First, there’s no resistance to this motion if you side bend your trunk in standing. You can simply let gravity do the work for you.
Second, it gives you the opportunity to compensate by moving your pelvis laterally, giving the impression of side bend without any taking place at the trunk.
This video from Athletic Motion Golf explains this concept well. It also shows why so many amateurs are attempting to contort their bodies into positions they mistakenly believe the pros are achieving.
In actual fact, most professionals only achieve around 35 degrees of side bend at their trunk during the swing, despite what you think you see on TV.
How to train side bend for the golf swing
So whilst you might not need as much side bend as you perhaps think, there’s no doubt you need to train it.
Most side bending occurs around your lumbar spine (lower back). This is due to the orientation of the facet joints that sit at the back of your spine, and the fact your rib cage blocks side bending of your thoracic spine (upper back) to a large extent.
This is also where the majority of the muscles that side bend your torso reside.
The best exercise to train side bend for the golf swing
In the exercise below I’m using an inclined weight bench to ensure there’s a challenge to the left trunk side benders in this case.
I’ve also placed a rolled up towel between the top of my pelvis and the bottom of my rib cage on the right side. This creates a fulcrum to bend around, ensuring the challenge stays focused on the lumbar spine area.
The most important cue here is to keep the right side of your trunk in contact with the towel as you bring the left side of your rib cage down towards the left side of your pelvis.
You should feel the muscles on the left side of your trunk (indicated by the arrow) working surprisingly hard to do this.
Once you’ve achieved maximum left side bend, slowly bend around the towel to lengthen your left side benders. Repeat, keeping the motion slow and controlled.
Caution: Don’t bend too far to the right. You can assess exactly how far you should go by using this exercise on your right side first.
If you feel pain or discomfort in the left side of your trunk, stop and reassess.
Train both sides but notice which is weaker
In the vast majority of the right handed golfers I train, their left side bend is weaker than their right. Vice versa for left handers.
This is logical as there’s a huge muscle on the right side of your trunk (external oblique) that contributes to left side rotation and right side bend – the trunk motions that give your swing power.
A significant advantage of this exercise is you can train each side in isolation and therefore address any imbalances you might find.
Also, if you’re playing a lot of golf and rotating your torso multiple times a week, do you really want to add more torso rotations in the gym?
This exercise gives you the opportunity to train the muscles involved in the swing without adding to the volume of rotation you’re already performing.
Summary
Side bend is a vital but often misunderstood piece of the golf swing. Pros can overdo it and run into back issues, whilst amateurs usually don’t create enough of it.
The real key isn’t using tips and stretches to increase side bend in your swing — it’s making sure the muscles that drive and control this motion are strong and balanced.
Assessing side bend under load, rather than relying on passive approaches, ensures an accurate picture of your side bend strength is gained.
By targeting both sides individually, you can correct imbalances, build resilience, and support a more powerful, pain-free swing.
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