Leena Watts
Oblique exercises are a great way to strengthen your core and improve your overall health. However, it's important to note that a healthy diet is also crucial in achieving a slim and toned midsection. While specific oblique workouts are not necessary, incorporating two to three exercises that target the side abs into your regular routine can be beneficial. Additionally, combining these exercises with a well-balanced diet and regular aerobic exercise can help you attain a lean and defined look. It's worth mentioning that spot reduction of belly fat is not possible, but improving your nutrition can help eliminate love handles.
Do I need a diet for obliques?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oblique exercises | Side crunches, planks, lunges, mountain climbers, Russian twists, high-pulley cable machine crunches, "throwdowns", elbow plank with dumbbell row, high plank with torso rotation, side plank with foot on bench |
| Oblique exercise frequency | Oblique-strengthening exercises can be done daily without overtraining |
| Diet | A healthy diet with protein, fibrous and starchy carbs, and without unhealthy fats and refined sugars is recommended for a slim and toned midsection |
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What You'll Learn
Oblique exercises for a stronger core
Oblique exercises are essential for a strong core. The obliques are two pairs of muscles that run along either side of your torso, consisting of the external oblique and the internal oblique. These muscles are responsible for movements like bending from side to side and rotating your torso. They also assist with spinal flexion, which is the movement associated with crunches and sit-ups that target the abdominal muscles.
- Side Plank: Lie on your left side with your right leg stacked on your left, and your left forearm on the ground with your elbow underneath your shoulder. Keeping your feet touching, use your obliques to pull your right hip toward the sky, allowing your right arm to rest on your side or extend overhead.
- Russian Twists: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lean back and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your tailbone. Extend your arms and twist your torso, allowing your arms to drop to one side, then twist back to the centre and repeat on the other side.
- Mountain Climbers: Start in a high plank position with your glutes slightly higher than your hands. Drive your left knee forward toward your right elbow, keeping the rest of your body stationary. Return to the start, then repeat with the right leg.
- Weighted Side Crunches: Attach a rope to a cable tower and move the cable to the highest pulley position. Grab both handles of the rope and kneel down onto one knee, with your shoulders perpendicular to the stack. With your arms extended over the opposite shoulder, look straight ahead and pull the rope across your body, finishing the movement at waist level.
- Windshield Wipers: Get into a high plank position and bend your knee, bringing it out to your side and towards your elbow. Repeat on the other side.
- Lunges with a Twist: Start with your feet hip-width apart and bend your upper body sideways to the right, creasing at the waist. Return to standing while squeezing your left oblique. Repeat on the left side. To make it more challenging, do the movement with a dumbbell.
These exercises will help you target your obliques and build a stronger core. Remember to always warm up before starting any exercise routine and consult a professional if you need guidance.
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Targeting obliques with side crunches
A strong core is essential for good posture, movement, and preventing falls and injuries. Oblique exercises are a great way to strengthen your core and sculpt your waistline. Oblique exercises can be done daily without worrying about overtraining.
Side crunches are a great way to target your obliques and improve your posture, strengthen your lifts, and enhance your performance in sports that require power and rotation. This exercise can be done on the floor or with equipment.
Floor Side Crunches
To perform a basic floor side crunch, lie on your left side with your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Place your right hand on the right side of your temple and keep your left arm straight and relaxed on the floor. Engage your core and bring your elbow towards your outer thigh.
You can make this exercise more challenging by lying on your back, bending your knees, and lifting your feet off the ground so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Then, reach down to your left side, tapping your heel with your left hand. Think of this as a side crunch and resist the urge to lift your upper body further off the ground. Return to the centre and repeat on the right side.
Side Crunches with Equipment
If you want to add resistance to your side crunches, you can use a cable tower or a high-pulley cable machine. Attach a rope or a D-handle to the machine and select the weight you want to use. Starting on your right side, grasp the handle slightly behind your head with your feet shoulder-width apart. Crunch your right obliques hard to pull the weight down and hold before resisting the weight back up. Do all reps on one side before switching.
For a more dynamic exercise, try the sumo squat to oblique crunch. This exercise combines squats with standing oblique crunches and targets multiple muscle groups.
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Oblique exercises for a defined waistline
Oblique exercises are a great way to build a strong core and define your waistline. The oblique muscles are located at the lateral sides of the abdomen, running from below the chest to the top of the hips. They help with twisting and bending movements and are essential for a stable and strong core.
Russian Twists
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lean back and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your tailbone. Extend your arms and twist your torso, allowing your arms to drop to one side and then the other. You can also hold a dumbbell or medicine ball to increase the difficulty.
Side Plank Hip Dips
Lie on your left side and prop yourself up on your left forearm. Bend your knees and stack your right leg on top of your left, or extend both legs if you have the strength. Keeping your feet touching, use your obliques to lift your hips toward the ceiling, while extending your right arm overhead. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Windshield Wipers
Hang from a bar with your legs extended. This can be done with a barbell or TRX bands. Twist your torso, bringing the bar or your legs to one side, and then the other.
Kneeling Cable Crunches
Set up a high-pulley cable machine with a D-handle and the desired weight. Start on your right side, grasp the handle, and crunch your obliques to pull the weight down. Hold and slowly resist the weight back up. Repeat for all reps on one side before switching.
Mountain Climbers
Start in a high plank position with your glutes slightly raised. Drive your left knee forward toward your right elbow, keeping the rest of your body stationary. Return to the starting position and repeat with the right leg.
For best results, incorporate 2-3 of these exercises into your workout routine twice a week, aiming for 3 sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise. Remember to maintain a balanced diet and include core-strengthening exercises for overall fitness and a defined waistline.
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Oblique exercises for beginners
A strong core is built through consistent workout routines and a weight-loss diet plan. Oblique exercises are a great way to target those side abs and achieve a tapered waistline. Here are some beginner-friendly oblique exercises to get you started:
Side Plank with Hip Dips:
- Lie on your left side with your weight on your elbow.
- Keep your knees bent and feet stacked, with the right foot on top.
- Inhale, then exhale and pull your abs to your spine while lifting your hips off the floor.
- Pull your shoulder blade down your back, keeping your shoulder away from your ear.
- Hold for three seconds, then slowly lower your pelvis back to the floor.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Russian Twists:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Lean back and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your tailbone.
- Extend your arms and twist your torso, allowing your arms to drop to your right side.
- Twist back to the centre, then drop to the left side.
Mountain Climbers:
- Start in a high plank position with your wrists under your shoulders and your neck neutral.
- Drive your left knee forward toward your right elbow, keeping the rest of your body stationary.
- Return to the starting position and repeat with the right leg.
Bicycle Crunches:
- Lie face-up on the floor with your legs extended and fingers interlaced behind your head.
- Focus on rotating your rib cage to engage your oblique muscles.
- Lift your left leg and twist your torso to the right, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
- Repeat on the other side.
Side Crunches:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Keep your arms down by your sides with palms facing up or down.
- Crunch to the right, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
- Return to the centre and repeat on the left side.
These exercises are a great way to start targeting your obliques and building a stronger core. Remember to listen to your body and adjust the exercises as needed. For best results, aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise, 2-3 times a week.
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Diet and nutrition for obliques
Diet and nutrition play an important role in achieving visible obliques. While oblique exercises help sculpt the waist and build muscle, a weight-loss diet plan is necessary to reduce body fat and make the oblique muscles visible.
Exercises alone will not burn belly fat, so nutrition is essential for slimming the waist and revealing the underlying muscle tone. A well-structured nutrition plan can help reduce body fat and make the obliques more defined.
To effectively target the obliques, it is important to incorporate a combination of exercises such as side crunches, side bridges, and elbow-to-knee movements. These exercises can be performed with or without weights, depending on one's fitness level and goals.
In addition to targeted oblique exercises, a strong core is crucial for stability and balance. This includes the obliques, which connect the ribs, abdominals, lower back, and top of the hip. A certified personal trainer and yoga teacher, Brooke McManus, recommends performing oblique exercises three to five times per week, in addition to other workouts, for noticeable results.
It is worth noting that the mind-muscle connection is also important. Paying attention to each repetition and ensuring they are purposeful can enhance the effectiveness of oblique exercises.
Overall, achieving visible and well-defined obliques requires a combination of dedicated oblique exercises, core workouts, and a nutritious diet that supports weight loss and muscle definition.
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Frequently asked questions
Some exercises for obliques include:
- Side crunches on the floor
- Russian twists
- Mountain climbers
- Planks
- Lunge twists
- High plank/pushup position torso rotations
- Elbow plank with dumbbell row
Oblique exercises can be performed daily without overtraining. It is recommended to do 3-5 exercises for the core, including a few for the obliques, 2-3 times a week. Each exercise should be done for 30 to 45 seconds with no more than 30 seconds of rest in between.
While a specific diet is not required, a healthy diet that includes protein, fibrous and starchy carbs, and excludes unhealthy fats and refined sugars is recommended for a slim and toned midsection. Additionally, focusing on your nutrition and eliminating daily habits that hinder your progress, such as consuming too much sugar or drinking empty calories, can help get rid of love handles.
