You’d be hard pressed to go into a gym without seeing someone perform some type of oblique workout, rep after rep of twisting and/or side bending exercises to build a ripped stomach. But does this actually work?
It turns out old-school oblique workouts don’t do much to increase core strength and might not give you the ripped look you’re trying to achieve. Here’s what you need to know about your obliques and how to train them correctly.
What are the Obliques
The obliques are actually two muscles: internal obliques and external obliques. They are located on the sides of the abdominals (six-pack muscles) running from the hips to the rib cage. The internal obliques are located directly under the external obliques, and the muscle fibers travel perpendicular to each other.
External Obliques
For all intents and purposes, you can think of the obliques as a single muscle.
The obliques have three primary actions:
Lateral flexion – bending the torso sideways
Rotation – twisting the torso
Flexion – rounding the spine, like during a Sit-Up
Also, the obliques contract to help create intra-abdominal pressure—what happens when you take a deep breath in and tighten your core before a heavy lift. They help brace your spine and allow you to handle heavy loads with a lower risk of injury.
Where People Go Wrong With Oblique Workouts
People naturally want to train their obliques through the three actions listed above—especially lateral flexion and rotation. That’s why Side Bends (lateral flexion) and Med Ball Russian Twists (rotation) are so popular.
Although the obliques can move your torso in these actions, you need to consider how they actually function when lifting weights, performing a sports skill or doing something as simple as carrying grocery bags.
“You can really get a hard muscle contraction if you use a dynamic motion like a Side Bend, but it goes back to why you’re doing what you’re doing,” says Dr. John Rusin, strength coach, physical therapist and owner of John Rusin Fitness Systems. “The obliques create a brace at the pillar, more tension in the hips and throughout the torso and link those things up to the rib cage.”
The obliques don’t do much to move the torso—or the “pillar” as Rusin calls it. Rather, they resist movement to prevent the lumbar spine (lower back) from moving too much. This helps transfer the power you produce with your legs and hips to your upper body during sports skills like swinging a baseball bat.
“A baseball swing is all about keeping your torso in a stable position but transferring force from the ground and your hips through a stable base and out your upper extremities,” adds Rusin. “There’s not a lot of motion there . . . it’s not like your spine is twisting.”
So old-school oblique exercises don’t do much to train this function. They also emphasize bending and twisting the lumbar spine, which it’s not designed to handle. They won’t cause much of a problem for a healthy person in the short term, but they add wear and tear over time. And if you have back pain, moving like this will likely exacerbate it. One of the worst offenders is the Seated Twist Machine.
To make matters worse, direct oblique training won’t give you a waist-slimming effect—one of the main reasons why many people do oblique workouts in the first place.
“One of two things happens with direct oblique training,” says Rusin. “[People] overdo it and end up broken down and hurt, or they get some hypertrophy and their waist actually gets larger. That usually happens to the people who are trying to spot-train fat loss.”
Spot training doesn’t work. If you want a thinner waist, you need to clean up your diet and burn more calories through your training, not ramp up Dumbbell Side Bends.
How to Properly Train the Obliques
“You need to ask yourself how the best people in the world are training their obliques,” advises Rusin. “To answer that question, they’re not training their obliques with Side Bends.”
He points to CrossFit athletes as great examples. The top CrossFit athletes have ripped obliques (and abs), but they don’t do any rotation or side bending. They do heavy and explosive movements like Deadlifts and Olympic lifts, which force their obliques to brace to transfer force and protect their spine.
With this in mind, there are three primary ways to effectively train the obliques:
Lift Heavy
Want strong obliques? Do heavy lifts. Squats, Deadlifts and their variations are among the best ways to train the obliques. This will be sufficient for aesthetics for most people, although some may want direct oblique training to improve their core strength to help them lift more weight in these exercises.
Focus on Bracing Exercises
The most basic oblique exercise is a Side Plank. In this position, the obliques have to work to keep the spine from bending toward the floor.
To take this up a notch, try Loaded Carries, such as Farmer’s Walks or Suitcase Carries.
“Loaded carries are low hanging fruit. It’s inherently safe because you’re walking in a neutral position,” says Rusin. “The obliques are targeted like crazy in a movement as simply as carrying heavy stuff around.”
Another excellent oblique exercise is the Barbell Offset Iso Hold. Simply load a barbell with plates on one end and hold it. It might appear easy, but give it a try and your opinion will surely change.
Explosive Rotational Exercises
Athletes should perform explosive rotational exercises such as Med Ball Rotational Throws and Rotational Slams, typically at the beginning of a workout. These drills are designed to increase rotational power by teaching you how to actually rotate. When they are done properly, the obliques will brace to transfer power from your legs and hips to your upper body.
RELATED: The Right (and Wrong) Way to do Rotational Throws
Sample Oblique Workouts
Here are three workouts that actually build stronger obliques. Perform the exercises at the end of a workout, except for the Med Ball Rotational Slams, which should be done after a dynamic warm-up and before your primary strength exercises.
Beginner Oblique Workout
1) Side Plank – 3×30 sec. each side
Intermediate Oblique Workout
1) Dumbbell Suitcase Carry – 3×20 yards each side
2) Rolling Side Plank – 3×6 each side
Advanced Oblique Workout
1) Med Ball Rotational Slams – 3×6 each side
2) Barbell Offset Iso Holds – 4×10 sec. each side
3) Side Plank With Leg Lift – 3×30 sec. each side
READ MORE:
- The 27 Best Core Exercises for Athletes
- How to Develop Rotational Power for Sports
- The Ab Rollout: The Best Core Exercise Ever?
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert and enthusiast, I have access to a wide range of information and can provide insights on various topics. I can help answer questions, provide explanations, and engage in discussions. In this case, I will provide information related to the concepts discussed in this article.
Obliques and Their Functions
The obliques are a group of muscles located on the sides of the abdominals, running from the hips to the rib cage. There are two main muscles: the internal obliques and the external obliques. The internal obliques are located directly under the external obliques, and their muscle fibers travel perpendicular to each other .
The obliques have three primary actions:
- Lateral flexion: This refers to bending the torso sideways.
- Rotation: The obliques are responsible for twisting the torso.
- Flexion: The obliques contribute to rounding the spine, such as during a Sit-Up .
In addition to these actions, the obliques also contract to help create intra-abdominal pressure, which occurs when you take a deep breath in and tighten your core before a heavy lift. They play a role in bracing the spine and allowing you to handle heavy loads with a lower risk of injury .
Misconceptions About Oblique Workouts
Many people perform oblique workouts with the goal of building a ripped stomach. However, traditional oblique exercises like Side Bends and Med Ball Russian Twists may not be the most effective way to achieve this goal. These exercises primarily focus on lateral flexion and rotation, but they don't necessarily train the obliques in the way they function during weightlifting or sports skills .
The obliques primarily function to resist movement and prevent excessive motion of the lumbar spine (lower back). They act as stabilizers rather than movers of the torso. For example, during a baseball swing, the obliques help keep the torso stable while transferring force from the ground and hips to the upper body .
Old-school oblique exercises that emphasize bending and twisting the lumbar spine may not be ideal for training the obliques' function and can potentially lead to wear and tear over time. Additionally, spot training the obliques won't necessarily result in a waist-slimming effect. To achieve a thinner waist, it's important to focus on overall fat loss through a combination of a healthy diet and calorie-burning exercises, rather than solely targeting the obliques .
Effective Ways to Train the Obliques
To properly train the obliques, it is recommended to focus on the following approaches:
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Lift Heavy: Exercises like Squats, Deadlifts, and their variations are effective for training the obliques. These compound movements force the obliques to brace and transfer force, helping to strengthen them .
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Bracing Exercises: Side Planks are a basic oblique exercise that can be effective. By holding a side plank position, the obliques are engaged to keep the spine stable. Loaded Carries, such as Farmer's Walks or Suitcase Carries, are also great for targeting the obliques. These exercises involve carrying heavy weights while walking, which heavily engage the obliques.
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Explosive Rotational Exercises: Athletes can benefit from incorporating explosive rotational exercises into their training routine. Examples include Med Ball Rotational Throws and Rotational Slams. These exercises focus on increasing rotational power and teaching proper rotation technique. When performed correctly, the obliques will brace to transfer power from the lower body to the upper body .
Sample Oblique Workouts
Here are three sample oblique workouts that can help strengthen the obliques:
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Beginner Oblique Workout:
- Side Plank: 3 sets of 30 seconds each side.
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Intermediate Oblique Workout:
- Dumbbell Suitcase Carry: 3 sets of 20 yards each side.
- Rolling Side Plank: 3 sets of 6 reps each side.
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Advanced Oblique Workout:
- Med Ball Rotational Slams: 3 sets of 6 reps each side.
- Barbell Offset Iso Holds: 4 sets of 10 seconds each side.
- Side Plank With Leg Lift: 3 sets of 30 seconds each side.
Remember to perform these exercises at the end of your workout, except for the Med Ball Rotational Slams, which should be done after a dynamic warm-up and before your primary strength exercises.
Conclusion
Properly training the obliques involves focusing on exercises that mimic their function during weightlifting and sports skills. Lift heavy, incorporate bracing exercises, and include explosive rotational exercises to effectively train the obliques. It's important to avoid old-school oblique exercises that primarily emphasize bending and twisting the lumbar spine. Instead, prioritize exercises that engage the obliques as stabilizers and focus on overall fat loss for a thinner waist.
I hope this information helps you understand the concepts discussed in the article. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!
