12 Best Oblique Exercises That Can Help Build A Strong And Toned Core

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The Ultimate Oblique Exercises for a Strong and Well-Toned Core

Oblique exercises target the muscles on the sides of your abdomen, known as the obliques. The muscles play a significant role in trunk rotation and stabilization.

Oblique exercises involve movements that engage the oblique muscles, contributing to a balanced and strong core.

Incorporating oblique exercises into your fitness regimen can promote core health and help achieve a more sculpted waistline. They can help improve core strength and stability while enhancing the appearance of a toned midsection.

What are the Oblique Muscles

The oblique muscles, aka the obliques, are a pair of abdominal muscles on each side of the torso. There are two sets of oblique muscles.

• External Obliques
  They are the superficial muscles on the sides of the abdomen, closer to the skin’s surface. The external obliques run diagonally, and their fibers slant downward toward the body’s midline. They are responsible for trunk flexion, side bending, and rotation.
• Internal Obliques
  The internal oblique muscles lie beneath the external obliques. Their fibers run in the opposite direction.
  The internal obliques also aid in trunk flexion, side bending, and rotation, working with the external obliques to provide core stability and assist in various movements.

Both sets of oblique muscles help in core strength and stability, helping to support the spine, protect internal organs, and enable rotational movements of the torso.

Targeting the muscles through specific oblique exercises can help you to build a balanced and strong core.

How To Target and Train the Oblique Muscles

You can target and train the oblique muscles with exercises involving twisting, side bending, and rotation of your torso.

Below are some general guidelines for targeting and training the obliques.

• Twisting Oblique Exercises
  Movements that involve twisting the torso are effective for targeting the obliques.
• Side Bending Oblique Exercises
  Exercises that involve side-to-side bending motions can work the obliques.
• Rotation Exercises
  Rotational movements activate the obliques as they are responsible for trunk rotation.
• Compound Exercises
  Many compound exercises, such as squats with a twist or lunges with a twist, incorporate oblique engagement while working on other muscle groups.
• Core Workouts
  Many core-focused workouts and routines include oblique-specific exercises. Such core-based oblique exercises can help work the muscles.

Benefits of Oblique Exercises

Oblique exercises offer several benefits, including:

• Core Strength
  Oblique muscles are a significant part of the core muscles.
  Strengthening them can help improve core strength and stability.
• Enhanced Functionality
  Strong obliques assist in various functional movements, such as twisting, bending, and rotating. These are essential for everyday activities and sports.
• Improved Posture
  A strong core, including the obliques, can contribute to better posture and reduced risk of back pain.
• Toned Waistline
  Regular oblique exercises can help tone and shape the waistline, leading to a more defined midsection.
• Injury Prevention
  Strengthening the obliques can help prevent injuries, particularly in the lower back and hips, by providing better support to the spine and pelvis.
• Balance and Stability
  Robust oblique muscles play a role in maintaining balance and stability, which can help in various sports and everyday movements.
• Reduction of Love Handles
  Targeting the obliques can help reduce excess fat around the waistline or “love handles.”
• Enhanced Athletic Performance
  Athletes can benefit from improved rotational power and stability by incorporating oblique exercises into their training regimen.
  Such movements are crucial in many sports, such as golf, tennis, and baseball.
• Variety in Workouts
  Including oblique exercises adds diversity to your workout regimen, preventing plateaus and keeping your fitness regimen engaging.

Best Oblique Exercises for Core Strength

Here are some of the best oblique exercises that you can build and tone your midsection

Kettlebell Windmill

The Kettlebell Windmill is one of the best oblique exercises that help target the obliques and improve flexibility and stability.

The Kettlebell Windmill combines side bending and rotational movements, which work the obliques as you reach down and up while holding a kettlebell overhead.

It is one of the best exercises that helps with mobility in the hips, shoulders, and spine. It is effective for developing core strength and enhancing functional movement patterns, making it a valuable addition to your workout regimen.

Target muscles: Obliques, core, shoulders

Steps to follow

• Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• Grasp a kettlebell in one hand.
• Keep your arm extended overhead and engage your core.
• Turn your feet to the side opposite the kettlebell.
• Keep your eyes on the kettlebell, and slowly bend at your waist, lowering your free hand towards your foot while keeping your legs straight.
• Keep your back as straight as possible during the descent. Your goal is to reach down as far as your flexibility allows while maintaining balance and control.
• Reverse the movement, using your obliques and core to raise your torso back to your starting position.
• Return your feet to the original position, facing forward.
• Repeat 8-12 repetitions per side and 2-3 sets to complete a session.

Leg Raises with a Twist

Leg Raise with a Twist is one of the excellent oblique exercises for targeting the external obliques, which are responsible for the twisting motion in the exercise. The movement also engages the lower abdominal muscles to a certain extent.

Steps to follow

• Lie on your back on an exercise mat with your arms extended straight outward to your sides, forming a “T” shape with your body.
• Keep your legs together and straight.
• Lift your legs off the floor, raising them toward the ceiling while keeping them straight.
• With your legs elevated, lower them to one side while maintaining control and keeping your upper body and arms on the floor. The twisting motion engages the oblique muscles.
• Return your legs to the center, back to your starting position.
• Perform 10-15 repetitions per side and 2-3 sets in a session.
• Ensure you repeat the leg raise and twist on the opposite side.

Oblique V-ups

Oblique V-ups are potent oblique exercises that target the external and internal obliques, making them a good choice for strengthening and toning the sides of your abdomen.

Steps to follow

• Lie on your side with your legs extended and stacked on each other.
• Place your lower arm under your head for support and your top hand on the floor for balance.
• Engage your oblique muscles and lift your legs and upper body simultaneously, bringing them toward each other in a V-shape. Twist your torso to the side as you do this, aiming to touch your top elbow to your top knee.
• Squeeze your obliques at the top of the movement to maximize the contraction.
• Lower your legs and upper body back to your starting position, but do not let them rest on the floor. Keep them slightly elevated to maintain tension in the obliques.
• Complete 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions per side.
• Ensure you switch to the other side to work the opposite oblique muscles after each set.

Seated Russian Twists

Seated Russian Twists are excellent oblique exercises for building strength and stability in the sides of your abdomen.

Required equipment: Dumbbell, kettlebell, resistance band, medicine ball, or a cable machine with a single-handle attachment

Steps to follow

• Sit on the floor, bend your knees, and plant your feet on the floor.
• Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
• Hold a weight or medicine ball with both hands close to your chest, ensuring you bend your elbows.
• Lift your feet off the floor, creating a V-shape with your upper body and thighs. The position engages your core muscles.
• Twist your torso to one side while maintaining the V-shape, bringing the weight or medicine ball beside your hip. Ensure your head and eyes follow the movement.
• Return to the center and twist to the opposite side, bringing the weight or ball beside your other hip to complete one repetition.
• Continue to twist from side to side, aiming to complete 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions per side.

Side Planks

Side Plank primarily targets the oblique muscles and is excellent for building core strength and stability, particularly the external obliques, making it one of the best oblique exercises.

Steps to follow

• Lie on your side with your legs extended and feet stacked on each other. Place your bottom forearm on the floor.
• Prop yourself onto your elbow so your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Engage your core muscles and hold the position, keeping your hips off the floor. You should support your weight on your elbow and the side of your bottom foot.
• Keep your body in a straight line and avoid sagging or allowing your hips to drop.
• Hold the Side Plank for 20-30 seconds per side and aim for 2-3 sets.

Barbell Side Bends

The Barbell Side Bend primarily targets the external oblique muscles.

Doing side bends while holding a barbell increases the resistance, making it one of the best oblique exercises for your training regimen.

Required equipment: Barbell

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet at shoulder-width, holding a barbell with both hands. You can place the barbell behind your head, across your upper back, or in front of your chest.
• Keep your back straight, your core engaged, and your shoulders relaxed.
• Slowly bend to one side at the waist, keeping the movement in the frontal plane. In other words, do not rotate your upper body; focus on twisting to the side.
• Lower the barbell as far as possible while keeping your feet flat on the floor.
• Pause at the bottom of the movement, then return to an upright position.
• Repeat the exercise by bending to the opposite side to complete one repetition.
• Aim to complete 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions per side.

Woodchoppers

Woodchoppers are excellent oblique exercises, highly effective for strengthening and toning the sides of your abdomen.

Required equipment: Dumbbell, kettlebell, resistance band, medicine ball, or a cable machine with a single-handle attachment

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet at shoulder-width, holding a weight or medicine ball with both hands.
• Begin with the weight or handle at one hip, with your arms extended. Keep your arms straight with a slight bend in your elbows.
• Engage your core muscles.
• Lift the weight or handle diagonally across your body, from the low position at one hip to a high position above the opposite shoulder, simulating the motion of chopping wood. Twist your torso to follow the movement as you do the movement.
• Pivot on your back foot and bend your knees slightly as you rotate to generate power.
• Lower the weight or handle back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
• Perform 10-15 repetitions per side, aiming for 2-3 sets.
• Ensure you switch to the other side to work the opposite oblique muscles.

Windshield Wipers

Windshield Wipers are excellent oblique exercises for engaging and strengthening the external and internal obliques due to the rotational and side-bending movements.

Steps to follow

• Lie on your back on an exercise mat with your arms extended straight outward to your sides, forming a “T” shape with your body.
• Keep your legs together and straight.
• Lift your legs off the floor and create a 90-degree angle with your torso. Ensure your legs are directly above your hips.
• Slowly lower your legs to one side, aiming to touch the floor while keeping your upper body and arms on the ground. The twisting motion engages the oblique muscles.
• Raise your legs back to the center, returning them to their starting position.
• Continue to lower your legs and raise them from side to side.
• Aim for 8-12 reps per side, 2-3 sets to complete a session.

Plank with Hip Dips

Plank with Hip Dips are excellent oblique exercises that can help strengthen and tone the sides of your abdomen.

The exercise involves a controlled side-bending motion, which activates the obliques.

Plank with hip dips is an excellent addition to your oblique exercises, helping to strengthen and define the obliques while improving core stability.

Steps to follow

• Get into a forearm plank position. Place your forearms on the floor, and align your elbows directly under your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Engage your core muscles and maintain a strong plank position.
• While holding the plank, slowly twist and lower your right hip toward the ground, aiming to touch it to the floor without letting it rest.
• Return to the center plank position.
• Next, twist and lower your left hip toward the ground without letting it rest, then return to the center plank position.
• Continue to alternate hip dips from side to side while maintaining proper plank form and control.
• Aim for 10-15 reps on each side, 2-3 sets per session

T-Rotation Push-Ups

T-rotation push-ups target the oblique muscles and are excellent exercises for enhancing core strength and stability.

The rotational aspect of the exercise activates the external obliques, in particular. these muscles.

T-rotation push-ups are valuable oblique exercises that combine the benefits of traditional push-ups with oblique engagement and rotational movements.

Steps to follow

• Get into a push-up position with your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
• Perform a standard push-up by lowering your chest toward the floor while keeping your body straight.
• Then, shift your weight to one side and lift one arm off the floor as you push back up to your starting position. Rotate your torso, opening up your chest and extending your arm overhead. That is the “T-Rotation” part of the exercise.
• Lower your arm and rotate your torso back to the center as you prepare for the next push-up.
• Continue to perform T-Rotation Push-Ups, alternating the side to which you rotate during each push-up.
• Repeat the exercise for 8-12 repetitions on each side, aiming to complete 2-3 sets.

Oblique Mountain Climbers

Oblique Mountain Climbers are some of the best oblique exercises that offer cardiovascular benefits while enhancing core strength and stability.

Steps to follow

• Get into a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
• Engage your core muscles to maintain a strong plank position.
• Bring one knee toward your opposite elbow while simultaneously twisting your torso. The movement engages the oblique muscles.
• Return the knee to the starting position and switch to the other side, bringing the opposite knee toward the opposite elbow. Continue to alternate sides.
• Perform the exercise at a controlled and steady pace, focusing on maintaining proper form and engaging your obliques throughout.

Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle Crunches are potent oblique exercises that engage and strengthen the obliques while providing a comprehensive abdominal workout.

Steps to follow

• Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your elbows pointing to your sides.
• Lift your legs off the floor and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. That is your starting position.
• Engage your core muscles to lift your head, shoulders, and upper back off the floor.
• Simultaneously twist your torso and bring your right elbow toward your left knee. At the same time, extend your right leg out straight, hovering it slightly above the floor.
• Return to your starting position and repeat the exercise, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee while extending your left leg.
• Continue to alternate sides in a pedaling motion, as if riding a bicycle.
• Perform the exercise at a controlled and steady pace, focusing on engaging your obliques throughout.
• Repeat 10-15 reps per side, aiming to complete 2-3 sets.

Final words from LiveLIfe

A strong core supports everyday movements, prevents injuries, and contributes to a healthier, more active lifestyle. Oblique exercises can bolster your effort to achieve that.

Incorporate the oblique exercises into your training regimen to help you challenge and redefine your core strength for a sculpted midsection that turns heads. But, remember, it is essential to incorporate several exercises to target the external and internal oblique muscles for a balanced and comprehensive oblique training regimen.