When most people think about core exercises, they think of crunches or situps which primarily focus on the rectus abdominis—the muscles responsible for those coveted six-pack abs. However, a truly strong and functional core goes beyond aesthetics and involves a critical group of muscles often overlooked: the obliques. These muscles are located on the sides of your abdomen and play a vital role in rotation, lateral flexion, and overall stability. Read on to find the top oblique exercises and why strengthening your obliques matters.
Why Train Your Obliques?
Strengthening your obliques is essential for improving core stability, enhancing rotational strength, and supporting proper posture, which is vital for daily movements and athletic performance. Here are some specifics of why having strong obliques matters:
- Improved Core Stability: The obliques help stabilize the spine, helping keep your back healthy
- Enhanced Athletic Performance: Sports and activities requiring rotation, such as tennis, baseball, and swimming, rely heavily on strong obliques. Plus, many strength training exercises that do not require rotation (squats, lunges, planks, deadlifts, kettlebell swings) also require a strong core to maintain stability, balance, and proper form while maximizing effectiveness.
- Better Posture and Balance: A balanced strong core, that includes the obliques, contributes to upright posture and improved functional movement.
- Injury Prevention: A weak core can lead to compensatory movements, increasing the risk of strains and sprains. Strengthening your obliques minimizes these risks, preventing injuries.
- Functional Strength: Whether you’re twisting to grab something off a shelf, stabilizing yourself during a run, aiming for that powerful golf swing, or just engaging in daily movements like twisting, bending, or lifting, oblique engagement is part of the equation.
- Aesthetics: Training your obliques helps you develop a beautiful, well-defined, and sculpted midsection.
Spotlight on the Top Oblique Exercises
As you can see strengthening your obliques is vital for injury prevention, athletic performance and core stability. To reap the full benefits of oblique training, it’s essential to include a variety of targeted movements. The following are some of the best exercises to strengthen and tone your obliques:
Seated Russian Twists
Russian twists are a highly effective exercise for targeting your obliques, building rotational strength, and enhancing overall core stability. They are versatile, easy to modify, and can be performed with or without added resistance, making them suitable for beginners and advanced fitness enthusiasts alike. Learn everything you need to know about Seated Russian Twists: Benefits, Mistakes, Form, Video
Side Plank Oblique Raises
The side plank oblique raise is another top oblique exercise. This powerhouse exercise builds core strength and stability, with a particular focus on the obliques. By combining the static hold of a side plank with dynamic movement, this exercise effectively strengthens the muscles responsible for lateral flexion and rotation of the torso. In addition to sculpting the waistline, side plank oblique raises enhance spinal stability, improve balance, and promote better posture. They’re also a great way to build functional strength, as the movement mimics actions used in daily life and sports.
How to Perform Side Plank Oblique Raises
- Lie on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other
- Place your elbow directly under your shoulder, with your forearm perpendicular to your body
- Engage your core and, as you exhale, lift your hips off the floor as if someone is lifting you up from your waist
- As you inhale, slowly lower your hips toward the floor without touching it
- Control the movement to engage your obliques fully
- Perform 2–3 sets of 10–15 repetitions per side, or adjust based on your fitness level
- Switch sides and repeat the movement
Tips for Proper Form
- Keep your body in a straight line
- Avoid sagging or arching your back
- Engage your core throughout the exercise to maintain balance and stability
- Avoid putting unnecessary strain on your shoulder by ensuring your elbow stays aligned under it
Modifications
- For Beginners: Bend your knees to make the exercise easier.
- For Advanced: Add a small dumbbell on your hip or increase the tempo of the dips.
Side Plank Oblique Raises Video
Standing Oblique Crunch
The standing oblique crunch is a dynamic core exercise that targets the oblique muscles in a functional, upright position while engaging your lower body for balance and stability. It’s an effective alternative to floor-based ab exercises and can be performed anywhere. It’s an excellent move for strengthening your obliques, sculpting your waistline, and enhancing rotational strength while reducing strain on the back and neck. Plus, standing oblique crunches are low-impact and easy to modify, making them suitable for all fitness levels.
How to Do a Standing Oblique Crunch
- Stand tall with your chest lifted, shoulders back, feet shoulder-width apart, and core engaged
- Place your hands lightly behind your head, elbows pointing outward
- Shift your weight slightly onto one leg and, as you exhale, lift the opposite knee toward your elbow while crunching your torso sideways
- Focus on contracting your obliques
- As you inhale, lower your leg back to the starting position with control
- You can complete all reps on one side before switching to the other, or alternate sides
- Repeat 15–25 reps per side for 2–3 sets
Tips for Proper Form
- Avoid jerking or using momentum; focus on squeezing the obliques
- Keep your back straight and avoid leaning forward
Variations
- For Beginners: If needed, lightly rest your fingertips on a wall or sturdy object for stability
- For Advanced: Do a weighted version by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand. You can also include a twist in the movement instead of crunching or in addition to the crunch by rotating your torso while lifting your knee toward the opposite elbow
Bicycle Crunches
Another top oblique exercise is the bicycle crunch. This is one of the most effective exercises for engaging the entire core. This move specifically targets the obliques through its rotational movement, helping to strengthen and define the side abdominal muscles. Beyond the obliques, it engages the entire core, working the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis simultaneously for a well-rounded workout. Additionally, the alternating motion of the twist improves coordination, making it a functional exercise that enhances overall movement patterns. Best of all, no equipment is needed, so you can perform this exercise anywhere.
How to Do Bicycle Crunches
- Lie flat on your back with your lower back pressed into the floor
- Place your hands lightly behind your head, keeping your elbows wide
- Lift your legs off the ground, bending one knee to a 90-degree angle
- Engage your core and lift your shoulder blades off the floor
- Simultaneously bring your right elbow toward your left knee while straightening your right leg
- Switch sides by bringing your left elbow toward your right knee while straightening your left leg
- Continue alternating sides in a smooth, pedaling motion
- Repeat 15-30 times for 2-3 sets
Tips for Proper Form
- Focus on engaging the core, using your abdominal muscles rather than pulling on your neck
- Avoid rushing through the movement; perform deliberate controlled movements
- Bring your elbow as close as possible to the opposite knee without forcing it; use a full range of motion
- Keep your back flat and maintain contact with the floor to protect your lower back.
Modifications
- For Beginners: Keep the motion smaller and closer to the floor for a beginner-friendly option
- Weighted Bicycle Crunches: Hold a light weight or medicine ball at your chest for added resistance or use ankle weights
- Suspended Bicycle Crunches: Perform the exercise with your feet in suspension straps for an advanced challenge.
Bicycle Crunch Video
Woodchoppers
Woodchoppers are a functional and dynamic top oblique exercise. It targets the obliques, transverse abdominis, and rectus abdominis while engaging the upper body and lower body for a full-core workout. This is a functional exercise since it mimics real-life twisting motions, like the woodchopping motion, making it highly effective for building rotational strength, improving stability, and enhancing athletic performance. The woodchopper enhances core stability as it challenges your balance and stabilizing muscles. Plus, it offers full-body engagement, involving the shoulders, arms, and legs in addition to the core.
How to Do Woodchoppers
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight such as a dumbbell, medicine ball, or cable handle with both hands
- Position the weight near one hip, keeping your arms slightly bent
- As you exhale, rotate your torso as you lift the weight diagonally across your body toward the opposite shoulder, pivoting your back foot
- Control the weight as you bring it back down to the starting position near your hip
- Perform 10–15 repetitions on one side before switching to the other side. Complete 2–3 sets
Tips for Proper Form
- Tighten your abdominal muscles throughout the movement to protect your lower back
- Avoid swinging the weight; focus on a smooth, controlled deliberate motion
- Rotate your back foot to follow the direction of the weight and protect your knees
- Avoid rounding your back as you twist; keep your spine neutral
Modifications
- For Beginners: Perform the exercise without weights or resistance while you perfect the movement
- High-to-Low Woodchoppers: Start with the weight at shoulder height and bring it diagonally down toward your opposite hip for added intensity
- Low-to-High Woodchoppers: Start with the weight near your hip and bring it diagonally upward
- Cable Woodchoppers: Use a cable machine for constant resistance throughout the motion
Side V-Ups
Side v-ups are an advanced, challenging exercise that primarily targets the obliques while engaging the entire core, including the lower abs, hip flexors, and upper body. Besides strengthening your obliques, this side-lying crunch sculpts and defines your waistline and also enhances overall balance and coordination. By engaging multiple muscle groups, side V-ups improve functional strength and help support proper posture. Incorporating Side V-Ups into your routine can lead to a stronger, more toned midsection and better athletic performance.
How to Do Side V-Ups
- Lie on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other
- Place your bottom hand on the floor for support and keep your top hand behind your head or on your hip
- Engage your core and bring your legs together while keeping them straight
- In one motion, simultaneously lift your legs and your upper body (shoulders and torso) off the floor toward each other as you exhale, aiming to bring your torso towards your legs, creating a “V” shape with your body
- Reach your hands toward your feet as you contract your obliques and core
- As you inhale, slowly lower your torso and legs back to the starting position with control
- Perform 10–15 repetitions on one side, then switch to the other side. Complete 2–3 sets per side
Tips for Proper Form
- Concentrate on using your abdominal muscles to lift your body, avoiding straining your neck or arms
- Perform side v-ups slowly to maximize muscle engagement, especially during the lowering phase
- Keep your legs straight and your torso engaged throughout the exercise to avoid sagging and letting your body collapse
Variations
- For Beginners: Perform bent-knee side v-ups by keeping your knees bent instead of keeping your legs straight for a slightly easier variation
- Weighted Side V-Ups: Hold a small weight in your top hand for additional resistance
- Side V-Up with a Twist: Add a slight torso rotation to each side to engage your obliques further
Whether you’re aiming to enhance athletic performance, improve posture, or achieve a sculpted core, strengthening your obliques can elevate your overall fitness. By incorporating the top oblique exercises such as seated Russian twists, side plank oblique raises, standing oblique crunches, bicycle crunches, side v-ups, and/or woodchoppers, you’ll be giving your obliques the attention they deserve and taking a step toward a stronger, more functional you.
👉🏻 If you struggle to see results, stay consistent, or create effective routines, don’t go it alone. A coach can offer the guidance, support, and accountability you need to reach your goals faster and more confidently. Reach out today—you’re closer than you think!
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
