Oblique muscles can be challenging to exercise, but using an exercise ball can provide effective muscle strengthening and toning. Using proper form is essential to reduce the risk of back injury or unequal muscle formation. Breathing properly through your exercises ensures that you tone your muscles rather than causing them to protrude from the pressure applied by an expanded diaphram. Several exercises can be completed on the exercise ball, and using a variety of approaches should help you exercise all of your oblique muscles evenly.
The Anatomy
Unlike other abdominal muscles that run vertically through the abdomen, the oblique muscles run diagonally starting at the center of your abdomen and wrapping around the sides of your trunk. Exercises that focus on the oblique abdominals require you to twist your trunk, which can place strain on your back. Tighten your abdominal muscles through the exercise to reduce the strain on your lower back. Additionally, breath out as you exert yourself on the exercise to ensure that the muscle fibers are toned and not bulging.
Medicine Ball Twists
Sit on the medicine ball and walk your legs forward so your entire back below your shoulders is supported by the ball. Twist your trunk from side to side quickly but carefully for toning, making sure not to move your pelvis or legs. Move your trunk as one unit, as if there is a rod stabilizing your trunk from the top of your head through your spine. Breath in and out slowly during the exercise. For strengthening, hold a medicine ball at chest height, moving slowly and breathing out as you rotate to one side and breathing in as your rotate to the other side.
Side Stretches
Lay the side of your trunk on the exercise ball. Roll your body so that your waist is at the top point of the ball and your upper body can move freely. Starting with your shoulder pointing towards the ceiling, begin to perform an abdominal crunch, twisting your trunk so your chest faces the ceiling as your reach the top of the crunch. Breath out at you bend upwards, breathing in slowly and deeply as your return to your starting point.
Knee Crunches
Lie with your lower and mid back on the upper portion of the ball and your back facing the floor. Lift one knee upward, as if you are marching toward your shoulder. Twist your opposite shoulder across your trunk as though you are trying to touch your shoulder with your lifted knee. Perform these oblique knee crunches back and forth from one side to the other rather than one side at a time to challenge your stabilizing muscles further.
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