Ball Exercises For The Obliques

Your obliques actually consist of two muscles, the internal and external obliques. These muscles work together to compress your abs and support your spine along with the other muscles of your abs. Lying or sitting on a stability ball that wants to roll away will immediately work your obliques. Exercises can also be done on the ball that specifically target the obliques through spinal flexion and rotation.

Rotating Knee Raise

The rotating knee raise exercise works your obliques to stabilize your body as you sit on the unstable surface of the ball. Your obliques are also utilized to twist your torso when you do the knee raises. Sit up straight on the ball with your feet on the floor. Your knees should be bent at 90-degree angles. Lift your arms to your sides with your palms down. Then, twist your upper body to the right and lift your right knee. The higher you lift the right knee, the more challenging the exercise will be for you to stabilize yourself. Keep your spine straight and upright. Rotate your upper body to face forward again. Place your right foot back to the floor. Next, twist to the left and raise your left knee. Lower your left foot and return your upper body back to the center.

Oblique Crunches on Ball

Oblique crunches on a stability ball are done lying on the ball. The obliques work to stabilize your body, crunch your torso forward and rotate your torso. The starting position is achieved by sitting on a ball and walking your feet forward as you lean back until your torso is parallel to the floor. Position your knees at right angles with your knees in line with your ankles. The ball can be under your lower back or middle back. The oblique crunches are more difficult if the ball is under your lower back. Hold your hands behind your head with your elbows bent and relax your neck into your palms. Then, curl your back and raise your neck and shoulders toward the ceiling. Rotate your shoulders to the right and then lower back to the starting position. Crunch up and twist to the left.

Side-to-Side Reach

The side-to-side reach is a simple exercise that works your obliques muscles by bending sideways. When you lean to the side it is called lateral spine flexion and your obliques make this movement. The side-to-side reach is begun seated on a ball with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Sit up tall and squeeze your abs. Your arms are at your sides with your palms facing the ball. Next, reach toward the floor and lean to the right, which will work your right oblique. When you sit back up, you should feel the left oblique work. Lean to the left next and then sit back up tall.