The oblique muscles run along the sides of your midsection, with the external oblique lying on top of the internal oblique. The two muscles function similarly, assisting the rectus abdominis muscle with trunk flexion and the lower-back muscles with lateral flexion and rotational ranges of motion. An oblique workout involves executing these movements against external resistance, such as your body weight or weighted objects. Consult a personal trainer to design an exercise program that suits your goals and lifestyle.
Benefits
The benefits of performing oblique workouts on a regular basis include enhanced muscular endurance and strength, enabling the obliques to facilitate the aforementioned movements and support your spine effectively. Additionally, strengthening the obliques may help prevent certain conditions and injuries, such as lower-back pain and muscle strains.
Body-Weight Workout
Perform the side plank, lying twists, the side bridge and twisting crunches or situps for an effective body-weight workout for your obliques. The side plank is an isometric exercise that requires continual oblique contractions. The second exercise involves lying on your back with your legs extended upward and lowering them from side to side repeatedly. The side bridge is just like the side plank, but you lift and lower your hips repeatedly instead of holding them off the floor. Finally, twisting crunches are similar to the classic exercise, but you alternately rotate to the left and right during upward-movement phase.
Dumbbell Workout
You can perform all the body-weight exercises except lying twists with a single dumbbell by holding it above your shoulder with your top arm fully extended for the side plank and the side bridge and by holding it above your chest when performing twisting crunches. Additionally, you can add the side-bend exercise, which involves tilting your torso from side to side while holding a dumbbell in one hand at a time with your arms at your side.
Medicine Ball Workout
Perform twisting crunches or situps while holding a medicine ball above your chest and the side-bend exercise while holding a ball on top of your head for an effective medicine ball workout. Additionally, you can perform trunk rotations with a medicine ball. This exercise involves holding a ball in front of your abdomen while sitting or standing and rotating your torso from side to side.
Stability Ball Workout
A stability ball workout for the obliques might include the side plank, twisting crunches or situps and the Russian twist. Performing the side-plank with a stability ball involves placing your lower legs on top of the ball and supporting your body with your bottom hand. For twisting crunches or situps, start with either your back or your feet on top of a ball. The final exercise involves lying with your back on top of a ball and your feet on the floor and then twisting from side to side with your arms extended above your chest.
Recommendations
Perform the body-weight or stability ball workouts every day, if desired, or the weight workouts several times per week. Complete three sets of 12 or more repetitions for each exercise. Increase the weight gradually for the dumbbell and medicine ball workouts. Consult your doctor if any of the exercises cause discomfort.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training"; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004
- ExRx.net: Waist Exercise Menu
- American Council on Exercise: Ab Exercises
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