Obliques are the muscles that run around the sides of your core, which is why knowing the best oblique exercises is key. Obliques include the internal obliques, which are part of the deep core, and external obliques, both of which are vital for keeping the pelvis, lumbar spine, and hips in balance. “They work with the other abdominal and posterior spine muscles in a cylindrical manner to keep the spine stable when the arms and legs exert force,” explains Peter Ronai, MS, CSCS, a clinical professor of exercise science at Sacred Heart University and ACSM-registered clinical exercise physiologist. With the help of your obliques, you can swing a bat and serve a tennis ball—but athletes aren’t the only ones who benefit from strong obliques: After all, the muscles enable you to bend forward and lift heavy things overhead and across the body. “They maintain core stability under load,” Ronai explains. And like many muscles, the stronger, the better.
15 best exercises for obliques
Almost any exercise that calls for twisting, core stabilization, or bending will fire up your obliques. Here are 15 moves you can focus on to strengthen the muscle group, according to Grace Giles, NASM-certified trainer and owner of the functional training fitness studio, F45 Boerum Hill in Brooklyn, New York. If you have no equipment:
1. Russian twist
How to do it: Sit on the floor with your arms extended, hands together, and knees bent. Keeping your chest up and shoulders away from your ears, lean back slightly and lift both feet off the ground. From this position, twist from the waist to turn to your left, to your right, then back to center to complete one rep.
2. Bicycle
How to do it: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and elbows out to the side. Bend both knees to a 90-degree angle and lift the heels off the ground until your knees are stacked over your hips. From this position, extend your left leg straight out as you bring your right knee into your chest, twisting from the core to bring your left elbow to meet your right knee. Switch sides to complete one rep.
3. Hundreds
How to do it: Sit on the floor with your knees bent together, core tight, back straight, and shoulders away from your ears. Lift your heels off the ground and lean back about 45 degrees as you extend your arms forward, palms facing down. Pulse an inch down, and an inch up. Continue for as many reps as desired.
4. Bird-dog
How to do it: Start on all fours in a tabletop position with your wrists beneath your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Keeping your core engaged and back flat, extend your left leg and right arm away from one another, then return to starting position. Repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep.
5. Dead-bug
How to do it: Lie on your back with your feet up and your knees bent 90-degrees. Extend your arms toward the ceiling. From this position, extend your left leg and right arm away from one another. Return to starting position, then repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep.
6. Side plank
How to do it: Lie on your side with your hips stacked, your elbow beneath your shoulder, and your forearm perpendicular to your body. From this position, lift your hips so your body forms a straight line between the top of your head and your feet. Hold for as long as desired, then repeat on the opposite side.
7. Side plank clamshell
How to do it: Lie on your side with your hips and knees stacked, knees bent, your elbow beneath your shoulder, and your forearm perpendicular to your body. From this position, lift just your hips, so your body forms a straight line between the top of your head and your knees. Keeping the feet together, lift your top knee with control, then release it to complete one rep. Complete as many reps as desired, then repeat on the opposite side.
8. Side plank with twist and reach
How to do it: Lie on your side with your hips stacked, your elbow beneath your shoulder, and your forearm perpendicular to your body. From this position, lift your hips so your body forms a straight line between the top of your head and your feet. Extend your top arm straight to the sky, then twist from the hips to reach the arm down and under your body. Return to starting position to complete one rep. Complete as many reps as desired, then repeat on the opposite side.
9. Oblique mountain climber
How to do it: Start in plank position with your wrists under your shoulders and body in a straight line between the top of your head and your toes. Drive your left knee to your right elbow, then return to starting position and repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep.
10. Spiderman pushup
How to do it: Start in plank position with your wrists under your shoulders and body in a straight line between the top of your head and your toes. Bend both elbows to lower your chest toward the ground as you drive your right knee to the outside of your right elbow. Extend your elbows to press away from the ground and return to starting position. Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep. If you have a dumbbell:
11. Wood chops
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulders-width apart and hold a dumbbell with both hands. Twist to your left through the waist and pivot on balls of the right toes as you bring the dumbbell up across your body to eye-level. From this position, rotate back to center and pivot on the ball of your left foot as you twist to the right and sweep the dumbbell down to knee level on the opposite side. Continue to rotate back and forth for as many reps as desired, then switch sides.
12. Around the world
How to do it: Stand with your feet about shoulders-width apart and hold a dumbbell from both ends at chest level. Lift it put and around your head, then return to starting position. Reverse to complete one rep.
13. Dumbbell Russian twist
How to do it: Sit on the floor with your legs pressed together and hold a dumbbell upright with both hands in front of the chest. Bend both knees and lift them off the ground as you lean about 45 degrees backward. Keeping your core tight, back flat, and shoulders away from your ears, twist from the waist to pivot your upper body to face the left. Come back to center, then repeat with on the opposite side. Continue to alternate sides without dropping the feet or arching the back.
14. Plank with dumbbell drag
How to do it: Get into plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, your body in a straight line between the top of your head and your toes, and a dumbbell positioned just outside your left wrist parallel to your shoulders. From this position, reach the right hand to grab one end of the dumbbell and drag it on the floor until it’s outside where your right hand was positioned. Return to plank then repeat on the opposite side, this time using your left hand to grab the dumbbell and drag it outside the left hand position. Continue to alternate.
15. Standing dumbbell twist
How to do it: Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell held with both hands at your chest. From this position, twist from the waist to your left, then your right. Continue to alternate. Next up: 25 Best Flexibility Exercises
Sources:
Peter Ronai, MS, CSCS, a clinical professor of exercise science at Sacred Heart University and ACSM-registered clinical exercise physiologist Grace Giles, NASM-certified trainer and owner of the functional training fitness studio, F45 Boerum Hill in Brooklyn, New York
