PlanWorkouts

Exercise 1358 · REF jDOKRM5

Side Lying Floor Stretch exercise animation

Side Lying Floor Stretch

Category
Back
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Lats

This side-lying stretch pulls the lat and oblique long on one side at a time, which is useful because most lat and oblique tightness is asymmetric — one side almost always feels tighter than the other. Working each side separately lets you actually feel and address that imbalance instead of stretching both evenly and missing it. Hold it rather than reaching for depth immediately.

How to Do the Side Lying Floor Stretch

  1. Lie on your side with your legs straight and your bottom arm extended straight overhead.
  2. Bend your top knee and place your foot on the ground in front of your bottom leg.
  3. Reach your top arm over your head and grab onto something stable, like a wall or a piece of furniture.
  4. Slowly lift your bottom leg off the ground, keeping it straight, until you feel a stretch in your side.
  5. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, then slowly lower your leg back down.
  6. Repeat on the other side.

Muscles Worked

The Side Lying Floor Stretch primarily targets the Lats, with Obliques as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Glutes.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Lats Exercises

Back Pec Stretch Back Pec Stretch Body Weight · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band · Lats Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band · Lats

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have body weight? These target the same lats with different equipment.

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell · Lats

FAQ

What muscles does the Side Lying Floor Stretch work?
The Side Lying Floor Stretch primarily targets the lats, with the obliques and glutes assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Side Lying Floor Stretch?
The Side Lying Floor Stretch is done with no equipment — just body weight.
What's a good alternative to the Side Lying Floor Stretch?
If you don't have access to the space or setup it needs, the Alternate Lateral Pulldown targets the same lats using cable instead.