The obliques are the muscles that are recognized as the waist muscles. The oblique muscles link the ribs, top of the hip bone, fascia of the abdominals, and lower back.
Oblique muscles power bending physical activities like bending over, twisting the torso, and side bending. The muscles aid breathing.
So Oblique Exercises are the exercises that work on the oblique.
Best Oblique Exercises
Here are a few oblique exercises
1. Cable Woodchop
Like the name implies wood, it is the use of a cable machine to simulate a wood chopping action, it builds strength and power in the core and obliques. The cable wood chop is also known as the cable up-down twist.
How to carry it out
- Join a rope to a cable tower, and move the cable to the highest pulley position.
- Hold the handle with both hands, with either your fingers interlaced or with one hand over the other.
- Stand next to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Keeping your arms straight, pull the handle in a diagonally downward motion until your torso faces away from the pulley and your hands are knee height.
- You can also do this from down, by attaching the handle to the bottom of the cable pulley or the sides.
2. Hanging Knee Raise Oblique Crunch
You can perform a hanging knee raise with the least amount of equipment. All you need is a thing to hold and hang from like a pullup bar.
How to carry it out
- Hold the pullup bar or other equipment with an overhang, pronated grip, and start to hang.
- Stimulate your lower abs by tilting your pelvis toward your ribs and engaging your glutes
- Slowly raise your knees upward toward your chest while maintaining braced lower abs and a hollowed position.
- Slowly lower your legs to return to the bottom position.
- Repeat as many times as possible.
3. Medicine Ball partner twist
Medicine Ball Partner Twist is an important and fundamental exercise that works the obliques.
How to carry it out
- Stand back-to-back with a partner then One partner starts with the medicine ball.
- Both partners need to turn and face the same direction and the one who started will Pass the medicine ball off to the partner
- Now, both partners should quickly rotate to face the opposite direction.
- The ball is now passed back.
- Continue rotating side to side and passing the ball back and forth until all reps are completed.
4. Bicycle crunches
Bicycle crunches can aid in the toning of your midsection and slimming of your waist.
How to carry it out
- Lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
- With your hands behind your head and your elbows bent out to the sides, use your abs to lift your left shoulder blade off the ground.
- At the same time, bring your right knee to meet your left elbow.
- When your right knee is bent, make straight your left leg and reach it out in front of you at a 45-degree angle.
- Perform on the opposite side, bringing your left knee to your right elbow, and straightening the right leg.
- Keep changing sides.
5. The Russian twist
The Russian twist is a simple abdominal workout that targets the core, shoulders, and hips.
How to carry it out
- Sit on the floor and bring your legs out straight
- Lean back slightly so your torso and legs form a V-like shape, bracing your abdominal wall to engage your core.
- Balancing here and keeping your legs stationary, twist your torso from side to side.
6. Side plank
Side planks can aid in the improvement of your balance and coordination.
How to carry it out
- Lie on your right side, legs extended and stacked from hip to feet.
- Place the elbow of your right arm directly under your shoulder.
- Ensure your head is directly in line with your spine. Your left arm can be aligned along the left side of your body.
- Lift your hips and knees from the mat while exhaling. Your torso is straight in line with no sagging or bending.
- Hold the position. After several breaths, inhale and return to the starting position.
- Change sides and repeat.
7. Mountain climbers
Mountain Climbers are great for building cardio endurance, core strength, and agility.
How to carry it out
- Start in a high plank position with shoulders placed directly over wrists, hands placed shoulder-width apart, and core engaged so the body forms a straight line from shoulders to hips to heels.
- Keep your neck relaxed by looking down between your hands.
- With a tight core, initiate the movement by driving the left knee toward the chest, then quickly stepping it back to the plank position.
- Immediately drive the right knee toward the chest, then quickly step it back to the plank position.
- Continue to alternate.
Conclusion
Keeping your obliques strong can aid in easier rotation and bending of your trunk. Strong obliques can also aid in the protection of your spine, improvement of your posture, and reduction in your risk of back injuries.
With the list of different oblique exercises here, you now have knowledge of them all and can engage in any of them you feel will be more suitable for you.