Oblique Crunch
Lying on your back with the feet flat, you curl up and rotate so one shoulder reaches toward the opposite knee, training the obliques with the abs. Choose it to add rotation to your ab work when bicycle crunches feel rushed or strain the low back.
Updated
Primary muscles: Obliques, Abs. Equipment: Bodyweight.
Muscles worked
Equipment
How to do it
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Rest your fingertips lightly behind the ears with the elbows wide.
- Brace the core and curl the shoulder blades off the floor.
- Rotate the rib cage to bring one shoulder toward the opposite knee.
- Pause for one count with the side of the waist fully shortened.
- Lower under control until the shoulder blades just touch the floor.
- Finish all reps on one side before switching.
Watch for
- Pulling the head forward with the hands.
- Swinging only the elbow across instead of turning the ribs.
- Lifting the hips or feet to help the rotation.
Breathing
Exhale as you curl and rotate, inhale as you lower.
Tip
Hold a light plate against the chest once 15 clean reps per side feel easy, and log it as the weight.
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