Barbell Side-Bend II

1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and choose a light to moderate weight barbell for this exercise.

2. Place the barbell across the back of your shoulders, similar to the starting position for a back squat, ensuring that it rests comfortably and that you are balancing it with both hands.

3. Keeping your head looking straight forward, and your knees slightly bent, slowly bend sideways at the waist, lowering the weight towards the same side as the direction you're bending. The opposite side should feel a stretch.

4. Lower the weight as far as your flexibility allows without compromising your posture; avoid tilting forward or backward.

5. Pause for a moment at the bottom of your motion, then slowly return to the starting upright position.

6. Perform the desired amount of repetitions, then switch to the other side and repeat the exercise.

Tips:

- Keep the movement controlled, avoiding any jerky motions.

- Do not use too heavy a weight as this can strain your back. Instead, focus on form and the contraction of the oblique muscles.

- Keep your hips facing forward throughout the exercise to ensure the movement isolates the obliques.

- Exhale as you flex your obliques and bend to the side, and inhale as you return to the starting position.

Note: It's essential to use appropriate weight for your fitness level and to maintain correct form throughout the exercise to avoid injury. If new to this exercise, consider practicing without weights first to become familiar with the movement pattern.

---