The exercises below will strengthen your oblique muscles.
Side Lift
Beginner: Lie on your left side with legs together and knees bent. Place your left arm comfortably in front of you and place your right hand behind your ear, elbow bent. Exhale and use your obliques to lift your right knee while simultaneously lifting your upper torso to meet it. Inhale and slowly lower to the starting position. Do all reps and switch sides.
Intermediate: Lie on your left side with legs together and legs extended. Place your left arm comfortably in front of you and place your right hand behind your ear, elbow bent. Exhale and use your obliques to lift both legs toward the ceiling while simultaneously lifting your upper torso. Inhale and slowly lower to the starting position. Do all reps and switch sides.
Make It Harder: Raise and lower for variable counts: up 2, down 2 … up for 3, down for 1 … up for 1, down for 3.
Helpful Hints: Keep abs tight throughout to control the lowering phase. Try not to allow your legs to touch the floor when you return to the starting position.
Leg Overs
Beginner: Lie flat on your back with your arms extended at from the shoulders, perpendicular to your body. Bring your bent knees in toward your chest and hold them with thighs perpendicular to the floor, calves parallel to the floor. Inhale and use your obliques to lower your legs to the left side, keeping knees bent. Exhale, pulling your knees back to the center and lowering them to the right side. Be sure to keep both shoulder blades flat on the floor throughout the movement.
Intermediate: Lie flat on your back with your arms extended out from the shoulders, perpendicular to your body. Extend your legs straight up to the ceiling. Inhale and use your oblique to lower your legs to the left side until they barely touch the floor. Exhale, pulling your legs back to the center and lowering them to the right side. Be sure to keep both shoulder blades flat on the floor throughout the movement.
Make It Harder: Raise and lower for variable counts: up 2, down 2 … up for 3, down for 1 … up for 1, down for 3.
Helpful Hints: As you lower your legs to the side, allow your hips to roll with the movement. The extended-leg version of this exercise is very advanced; only proceed to a long-legged position after working through varying degrees of extension first.
Side Crunches
Beginner: Lie on your left side with legs bent perpendicular to your body. Place your left arm comfortably in front of you and put your right hand behind your ear. Using a slow crunching motion, exhale and lift your rib cage toward your hip. Inhale and slowly lower almost to the floor.
Intermediate: Lie on your left side with legs bent perpendicular to your body. Place your left arm comfortably in front of you and put your right hand behind your ear. Using a slow crunching motion, exhale and lift your rib cage toward your hip. Inhale and slowly lower almost to the floor.
Make It Harder: Raise and lower for variable counts: up 2, down 2 … up for 3, down for 1 … up for 1, down for 3.
Helpful Hints: Lift entire torso off the floor, not just your elbow and head. Focus on using the obliques to list your toros, and be sure to get the bottom shoulder off the floor during the lifting phase.
Related Post: Rectus Abdominis
Last Modified : May 5th, 2008 --