9 oblique exercises for strong abs and a slimmer waist (2024)

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The obliques are a group of abdominal muscles that play an important role in core stability and rotational movements. When you bend forward or to the side these muscles are recruited, which means they help assist in tons of daily movements — from bending over to pick something up to raking leaves in the yard. They even help assist in breathing.

If toning the waist is one of your aesthetic goals, strengthening the obliques will help with that as well!

What are the oblique muscles?

The obliques refer to two muscles in the abdominalss: the internal obliques and the external obliques. The internal obliques run diagonally from the lower ribs to the pelvis, while the external obliques run diagonally from the lower ribs to the hips. The internal obliques help with rotation and lateral flexion of the spine, while the external obliques assist in trunk rotation and bending to the side.To target and strengthen these muscles, you can perform exercises that require you to rotate your torso or move diagonally. Exercises that require you to move only one side (like one arm and one leg) at a time also work the oblique muscles.

Oblique exercises

Here are my some of my favorite exercises that target the obliques:

Russian twist

Sit on the floor with your knees bent in front of you and your feet resting on the floor. (For a more advanced move, lift your feet slightly off the mat.) Keeping your torso and lower body still, begin slowly rotating side to side. Reach your hands toward the floor on the right, before moving through center and reaching them toward the floor on the left. Repeat 10 times to each side.

Wood chop with knee lift

Stand up tall and reach both arms straight up toward the sky. Lean your torso slightly to the left and step your right foot out a bit so that it is not directly under your hip. Then, pull both arms down and across your body from left to right as you bend and lift your right knee into the air. Bring your hands down to the side of your right hip before putting your foot down and lifting your arms back up in the air. Repeat 10 times, and then repeat on the opposite side.

Bicycle crunch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground hips-width apart. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows bent out to the sides. Then, use your abs to lift your left shoulder blade off the ground. At the same time, bring your right knee to meet your left elbow. When your right knee is bent, straighten your left leg and reach it out in front of you at a 45-degree angle. Move through the center to perform the crunch on the opposite side, bringing your left knee to your right elbow and straightening the right leg. Continue alternating legs. Brush your inner thighs together as you switch sides to ensure you’re hugging your legs in toward the midline of the body.

Mountain climbers

Begin in plank position, keeping your back straight, hips low and your core engaged. Bring your right knee under your chest toward your right elbow. Return your right leg back to plank position; bring your left leg under your chest toward your left elbow. Continue alternating legs, keeping a steady pace. Remember to breathe and concentrate on engaging your abs, glutes and hamstrings.

Bird dog

Start on all fours with your shoulders over your wrists and hips stacked above the knees. Straighten your left arm out in front of you and your right leg out behind you, balancing on the opposite hand and knee. Hold for a few breaths. For an added challenge, bend your left elbow and your right knee in toward each other until they touch underneath your stomach. Switch sides and repeat using your right arm and left leg. Continue alternating, performing 10 reps on each side.

Dead bug

Start lying on your back. Keep your shoulders and low back flat on the floor as you lift your arms straight up toward the sky above your shoulders. Then, lift your legs and bend your knees into a tabletop position, stacked over your hips at a 90-degree angle. Exhale, engaging the core, as you slowly lower the opposite arm and leg (left leg and right arm), hovering them above the floor. Return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side (right leg and left arm). Repeat for 5 repetitions on each side.

Windshield wipers

Lie on your back with your arms straight out at your sides in a “T” position for stabilization. Lift your legs up, first with knees bent in a tabletop position, and then straightening your legs toward the sky, engaging the core. Using your abs to control the movement, slowly lower your legs to the right hovering a few inches off of the floor. When your feet get close to the floor, reverse the movement of your legs, moving them back through center and down to the left side of your body. One movement of the legs from the right to the left completes one rep. Repeat the move 10 times.

Standing side crunch

Standing with your feet hips-width apart, place your hands behind your head. Tilt your pelvis so that your low back is not arching and your naval is pulling in toward your spine. Then, crunch the right elbow down and bring the right knee up toward the elbow. This is working the right side obliques. Repeat this 10 times on the right, then switch sides.

Side plank

Come into a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists. Pull your naval in toward your spine and hug your legs together as you bring your left foot to touch your right. Turn onto the outer edge of the right foot, stacking the left foot on top. Press down through your right hand, keeping it directly underneath your right shoulder, and slowly bring the left hand to rest on your left hip. Pull the abs in toward the spine and the right hip away from the floor. Extend the left arm straight up to the ceiling and hold the position for 30-45 seconds before coming through plank and switching sides.