5 Workouts to Strengthen your Obliques

The oblique muscle is the largest of the three muscles that are present in the abdomen region. Working on the obliques not only makes a person look good but it also helps prevent injuries and pain in and around the lower back. It also helps in getting the right posture.

Without further ado, let us take a look at five exercises that will help in strengthening the oblique muscles.

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Side Plank

This is a variation of planks and this is one of the better exercises if you want to work on your obliques as it runs along your forearm and the side waist. All you need is to lie down on one side with your legs together and ensure that they are straight. Place your elbow (right elbow if your left leg is on top of your right leg) on the ground and raise your hips and upper body. Keep the other elbow and place it on top of your body.

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By doing this, the forearm props up the upper body. Ensure that your upper body, hips, thighs and legs are positioned in a straight line and your upper arm of the forearm that is propping the upper body is perpendicular to your upper body. Hold on to the position for a few seconds before you change sides.

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Russian Twists

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and heels on the floor. Lower your back till a position where it forms 45 degrees with the ground. Grab a medicine ball with both your hands and have it in front of your stomach. Now, with your back remaining in the same position, twist your body to the left and right and drag the medicine ball to the side as much as possible. While doing this, you have to ensure that your torso is unmoved.

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Medicine Ball Rotational Toss

As the name suggests, take a medicine ball and position yourself a few feet from a wall with your sides facing it. Distance your feet shoulder-width apart. Slightly bend your knees (in the motion of squats) and hold the ball in front of your chest with your arms straight. Rotate your torso to the side of the wall and throw the ball. The ball will bounce off the wall and you can repeat the same procedure for further reps before you change sides.

Bicycle Crunch

This is one of the best exercises to strengthen your abs and obliques muscle. Lie on the ground with your back pressed on the ground. Put your hands at the back of your head and raise your lower legs and ensure that your thighs are perpendicular to your hip and the lower legs are parallel to the floor.

Straighten your left leg and pull your right knee towards the right side of your chest. At the same time, turn your upper body, mainly the rib cage, to the left and try to touch your right knee with your left elbow. Return to the starting position and switch sides with hardly any gap in between.

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Spiderman Pushup

Get into the top of the normal push up position. Ensure that your hands are shoulder-width apart while the legs hip-width apart and the body forms a straight line right from the top of your head to your heels. Tighten your core and slowly raise your left knee towards your left elbow and do a pushup. Come back to the normal position and switch sides.