The oblique abdominal muscles form a letter "X" across your abdominal area. The internal obliques rotate the upper torso, and the external obliques perform sideways flexion. These movements play an essential role in sports, such as tennis, golf and baseball, and daily activities, such as backing into a parking space and loading the dishwasher. The Swiss ball imposes a balance challenge to oblique exercise, which requires you to engage your core muscles to maintain stability.
Internal Oblique Basics
The Swiss ball provides extensive opportunities for oblique exercise, but master the basics before trying the advanced variations. What fitness expert Gin Miller calls the supine incline position is a suitable starting point for ball exercise. Start seated, then walk your feet forward until your lower, middle and upper back rest firmly against the ball's surface. Support your neck by resting your fingertips against your head. Press your left hip into the ball, and inhale to prepare for the exercise. Exhale, and rotate your upper torso so that your left rib moves toward your right hip. Return to center, and then repeat on the other side. Perform 20 repetitions or 10 to each side.
External Oblique Basics
Lateral flexion is a less common torso movement, so consider practicing external oblique exercises in front of a mirror. Sit on the ball in an upright position. Inhale and raise your left arm above your head. Exhale and bend at your waist, bringing your right shoulder toward your right hip. Repeat in the opposite direction. Perform 20 repetitions or 10 to each side. Your torso should move directly sideways, not forward.
Medicine Ball Variations
Medicine balls are small, weighted balls that add challenge to Swiss ball oblique exercise. Assume the supine incline position by sitting on the Swiss ball and walking down until your lower back, middle back and upper back are against the ball's surface. Rotate your upper torso from side to side as you toss the ball from hand to hand. Perform 20 repetitions or 10 to each side. The next exercise simultaneously engages the upper and lower fibers of the oblique muscles. Hold the medicine ball with both hands, and extend your arms in front of you at chest height. Roll your hips to the left as you rotate your upper torso to the right. Return to center and repeat on the other side. Perform 16 repetitions or eight to each side.
Advanced Side Bends
Swiss ball side-lying bend exercises challenge the external obliques by increasing the exercise range of motion and imposing a balance challenge that requires deeper core muscle engagement. Place the ball close to an empty wall, but far enough way for you to straighten both legs. Lean your right hip into the ball, and extend your right leg in front of the ball and your left foot behind it, with both feet braced against the wall. Prevent the ball from rolling out underneath you by placing your right hip high on the ball. Once in position, place your hands behind you head, and drape your upper torso sideways over the ball. Inhale to prepare for the exercise, then exhale, draw your belly in and bend at the waist, so that your left elbow moves laterally toward your left hip. Perform 10 repetitions on each side.
Member Comments