High repetition movements with resistance are a great way to exercise your oblique muscles. The word "oblique" literally refers to the muscle fibers that run diagonal to the midline of your body. The external obliques are involved in trunk flexion, lateral extension and trunk rotation. To expertly train the oblique muscles, you should perform exercises that involve lateral flexion of the upper body and rotation exercises that follow a diagonal path towards the body's midline.
Dumbbell Side Bends
Stand holding a dumbbell in your right hand, palm facing your thigh. Place the left hand behind your head with elbow pointing laterally. Bend knees slightly and tighten your abdominal muscles. Laterally flex your torso towards your right side. Slowly lower the weight to the floor, feeling the stretch on the opposite oblique. While performing this exercise, the opposite, non-weight bearing oblique is engaged to decelerate the movement of the resisted side. Conversely, when raising your torso back to the upright position, the same opposing oblique muscles are engaged to accelerate the move. Perform one set of 15 repetitions and then switch to the other side. Execute a total of three sets of 15 reps for each side.
Seated Russian Twists
Sit on the floor, legs flexed to approximately a 45 degree angle. Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball in your hands. Lean back slightly to engage the abdominals. Twist the body from side to side, bringing the resistance close to the floor on either side. This twisting motion and added resistance recruits your oblique muscle fibers to support your body, resulting in a great strength and toning workout. Increase the intensity of the exercise by lifting both feet off the ground while executing the move. Perform three sets of 20 reps with a one minute break in between each set.
Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle crunches are great for oblique training because they involve certain movements from the origin and insertion points of the external oblique muscles. External obliques originate on ribs five to 12 and extend down to the iliac crest of the hip bone. Performing these crunches, which involve twisting an elbow towards the opposite knee, incorporates simultaneous movement from both points, thus maximizing the contraction or squeezing of the obliques. Execute the exercise by lying face up on a mat. Interlock the fingers of both hands beneath the head. Lift feet off the ground and hold legs at a 90 degree angle. Begin the twist crunch by bringing your right elbow towards your left knee. You should extend your right leg out in front of you while you crunch. Then twist your torso to the opposite side, bringing the left elbow forward and crunching towards the right knee. Essentially, your legs should simulate the motion of a pedaling bicycle while you crunch the elbow to the opposite knee. Perform three sets of 20 reps.
References
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, 12th Edition", G. Tortora and B. Derrickson; 2009
- "The New Rules of Lifting", L. Schuler and A. Cosgrove; 2006
- "Abs for Life"; Neil Frost; 2008
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