Your oblique muscles run alongside your abdomen and control the twisting, rotating and side bending of your torso. Therefore, exercises that work your obliques will involve these motions, working your sides. Make sure that you work both sides of your torso when you do these exercises. As always consult your doctor prior to attempting this or any other workout.
Side Plank
This stationery exercise will work your obliques, forcing you to work to keep them in proper alignment. Lie on your right side with your right elbow and palm on the ground. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder. Stack your left leg on top of your right with your legs straight. Push up to balance on your forearm and your stacked feet. Extend your left arm to point to the ceiling. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. You can decrease the difficulty of this exercise by crossing your left foot over your right so both feet are in contact with the ground or by bending your knees and balancing on your knee and lower leg.
Bicycle Crunch
A bicycle crunch works your obliques effectively. Move slowly through this exercise, ensuring your form is perfect. Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head and your feet off the ground with your legs bent at a right angle. Keeping your elbows back, twist your right shoulder up off the ground toward your left knee. Pull your left knee in as you extend your right leg out straight about 6 inches off the ground. Do not allow your lower back to lift off the ground. Hold this position for a count of three before twisting to the other side. This is one repetition. Work up to doing eight repetitions.
Seated Trunk Rotations
Use a medicine ball for this rotation exercise. Sit on the ground with your legs bent and your feet flat on the ground. Grab the medicine ball in both hands and center it in front of your chest. Sit straight up and pull your abs in toward your spine. Keeping the medicine ball at the same height, twist slowly to one side and then the other. After mastering this exercise, increase the difficulty by starting with your straight torso leaning back to about a 45-degree angle. Hold this angle as you twist side to side.
Twisting Crunch
Add twisting to your regular crunch if you want to focus on your obliques. Lie on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands behind your head and pull your abdominal muscles in toward your spine. Lift your head and shoulders off the ground. Keep your elbows back as you twist your right shoulder toward your left knee. Return to center and repeat to the other side. This is one repetition. Perform three sets of 12 repetitions.
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