Your oblique muscles help not only when you have to twist suddenly, but they also assist in stabilizing your spine. This V-shaped set of muscles responds well to isolated movements. You may do a variety of exercises at the gym with equipment or at home on an exercise mat. For something different, perform oblique exercises with weights on a Swiss ball. Holding a dumbbell or a medicine ball while using your Swiss ball for support helps to improve the firmness of your abdominal wall.
Lift and Twist
Grab a medicine ball for this Swiss ball oblique exercise. Take a seat on the ball. Roll forward until your buttocks, lower and middle back are supported by the Swiss ball. Hold the medicine ball in your hands and raise your arms over and behind your head. On an exhale, sit up and twist your torso and arms to the right while contracting your abs. Inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat the maneuver on your left side and perform up to 10 on each side.
Weighted Oblique Twist
Sit on the Swiss ball holding a dumbbell under your chin. Maneuver yourself forward until just your hips and lower back are resting against the ball. Contract your abs, keeping your back and hips on the ball at all times throughout this exercise, and slowly twist to the right. Twist to the left to a count of 10, hold your position for two seconds, and then twist back to the right to a count of 10. Repeat this slow twist to the count of 10 on each side up to three times without stopping.
The Twister
Hold a dumbbell in your hands and sit on the Swiss ball. Walk your feet forward until only your shoulders and the back of your head are in contact with the ball. Adjust your feet forward or back to level your body parallel to the floor. Maintain a lift through your hips during the entire exercise. Extend your arms up until they are perpendicular to the floor. Lift your right shoulder off the ball as you twist to the left and bring the dumbbell parallel to the floor. Switch sides quickly and keep twisting through your obliques from right to left up to 10 times on each side.
Advanced Obliques
Set a stability cushion a couple of feet in front of the Swiss ball. Sit on the ball while holding a dumbbell in both hands and roll forward onto your lower back. Place your feet on the stability cushion. Raise the dumbbell to chest level and twist your torso to the right, while at the same time lifting your right knee toward your left shoulder. Hold this position for two seconds and then return to the start. Repeat on your left side. Do up to five reps on both sides.
References
- "Yoga Journal"; Forget Six-Pack Abs; Fernando Pagés Ruiz
- SixPackNow.com: Effective Swiss Ball Exercises
- “The 12 Second Sequence”; Jorge Cruise; 2007
- “Powersculpt”; Paul Frediani; 2003
- “Swiss Ball: For Strength, Tone and Posture”; Maureen Flett; 2003
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