A strong oblique workout does more than trim your waistline. Your obliques help you twist, bend, breathe well, and protect your back. If you only sprinkle in a few side crunches at the end of a workout, there is a good chance you are missing a key step that keeps these muscles strong and your spine stable.
Below, you will see what that missing step usually is, how your obliques really work, and how to upgrade your routine with smarter movements instead of just more reps.
Understand what your obliques actually do
Your obliques are not just “side abs.” They are two muscle groups that wrap around your torso and work together almost every time you move.
Internal vs external obliques
You have two main sets of oblique muscles on each side of your body.
- External obliques are the large, visible muscles that run diagonally from your ribs down toward your hips along the sides of your abdomen. They help you rotate your trunk, bend to the side, and compress your abdominal cavity so you can brace and lift. The July 2022 Dynamic Chiropractic article describes them as key players in daily movements and overall core strength.
- Internal obliques sit underneath the external obliques, deeper in your lateral abdomen. They help flex the trunk, compress the chest, and provide important support for your spine by stabilizing the trunk from the inside.
These muscles form a crisscross pattern, with fibers running in opposite directions. That design lets you twist, resist twisting, bend to the side, and stay upright with good posture.
Why they matter for your posture and back
If your oblique workout is light or inconsistent, you are not just missing out on definition. You are also making it harder for your spine to stay stable.
According to Dynamic Chiropractic, focusing only on the rectus abdominis, the “six-pack” muscle, is not enough. When you neglect your obliques, you weaken your ability to recruit them during movement. That puts more stress on your lower back and shoulders and can increase your risk of pain and injury.
Your obliques help you:
- Maintain healthy posture by supporting spinal alignment
- Control rotation so you do not twist too far or too fast
- Share the workload across your torso so your lower back is not doing everything
When you train them well, you feel more solid in heavy lifts, daily bending and twisting feel easier, and your back is less likely to complain.
The key step your oblique workout is missing
Most oblique routines have one big blind spot. They focus only on moving your torso and ignore your obliques’ other major job, which is resisting movement.
Side bends, bicycle crunches, and Russian twists all ask your obliques to rotate or bend your trunk. That is useful, but your core is built to do more than that.
Your obliques also need to learn to:
- Resist unwanted rotation, called anti-rotation
- Resist bending to the side, called anti-lateral flexion
A 2024 Men’s Health fitness article points out that effective oblique training includes uneven loads and instability. This means you sometimes hold weight on just one side or fight not to twist, instead of always moving your torso through big ranges of motion.
If your current oblique workout is mostly fast, repetitive side crunches or endless twists, you are likely skipping this crucial stability piece. That is the key step to add.
Train both movement and stability
To build strong, functional obliques, you want a mix of exercises that make your torso move and exercises that teach your torso to stay still under load.
Movements that make your obliques move
These are the classic “feel the burn” exercises, and they do have a place when you do them with control.
Examples include:
- Side planks and variations. Side planks, Copenhagen side planks, and star planks all challenge your external and internal obliques to hold your body straight while gravity tries to pull your hips down. The Peloton blog highlights side planks as one of the most effective moves for both internal and external obliques.
- Russian twists. When you sit tall, brace your core, and rotate with control, Russian twists strongly engage your obliques and rectus abdominis. Both the Peloton blog and the research on oblique crunches point out that rotation-based moves like these can improve rotational strength and help reduce lower back pain by supporting better spinal alignment.
- Woodchops and cable or band rotations. Woodchops with a cable or medicine ball train you to twist from your midsection, not your arms. The Dynamic Chiropractic article recommends woodchops as a reliable way to strengthen your obliques through rotation and diagonal patterns.
These types of moves improve your ability to bend and twist in sports and daily life, from swinging a racket to turning to grab something in the car.
Movements that teach your torso to resist
Anti-rotation and anti-lateral flexion work can feel less flashy, but they are often where your biggest strength gains will come from.
Examples include:
- Pallof press. You stand side-on to a cable or band and press it straight out from your chest. The band tries to twist you toward the anchor point, your obliques fight to keep your torso square. Men’s Health lists the Pallof press as one of the most effective stability moves for the obliques.
- Suitcase carry. You walk while holding a weight in one hand only. Your obliques on the opposite side work hard to keep you upright instead of letting you tip. This uneven load is exactly the kind of instability your core needs.
- Plank rotations and loaded planks. Plank variations that add rotation or a single-arm support, such as plank rotations or star planks, ask your obliques to stabilize the spine while other parts of your body move.
These exercises build the resilience you need when you are lifting, running, or simply catching your balance if you trip.
Think of your oblique training in two parts: half the time you teach your torso how to move, and half the time you teach it how not to move.
Balancing these two roles is often the missing step in a typical oblique workout.
Use smarter exercise choices, not just more reps
You might be surprised to learn that some common “oblique” moves are not your best options, especially if you are chasing strength and safety, not just soreness.
Be careful with side bends
Dumbbell side bends are a classic, but they can be risky if you are not very precise.
Research summarized in the brief you read notes that:
- Many people bend too far and combine side bending with spinal flexion and rotation, which can put your spine in a vulnerable position.
- Using two dumbbells at once, one in each hand, cancels out much of the load so your obliques do not work very hard.
- A better option is to use a single dumbbell if you choose to do them, and keep the movement small and controlled.
Cable side bends are often safer and more effective. Adjustable cables let you stay within an active range of motion and change the height of the cable to shift where in the movement your obliques work the hardest. They also recruit your hip stabilizers, which is good for your overall core and glute strength.
Make your crunches count
Oblique crunches can be helpful when you do them slowly and with good form.
To maximize their benefits:
- Keep your lower back in contact with the floor so you avoid arching and overusing your hip flexors
- Initiate the twist from your midsection, not your neck or shoulders
- Move slowly, with a brief pause at the top of each crunch
- Avoid yanking your head forward, keep your fingertips light behind your ears
Variations like side-lying oblique crunches or raised-leg oblique crunches can challenge your muscles more. You can also add light weights, such as a small plate or dumbbell, once your form feels solid.
Follow simple form cues for better results
Good technique is another step that many people skip in their oblique workouts. A little attention here can transform familiar exercises.
The Peloton blog shares several key tips for getting more from your oblique training:
- Brace your core before you move. Imagine tightening your midsection gently as if someone were about to poke your side.
- Match your breath to your effort. Exhale during the hardest part of the movement, inhale on the easier part. This helps you keep tension in your core and improves your breathing mechanics.
- Tuck your pelvis slightly. A gentle pelvic tuck during planks and standing exercises keeps your lower back from arching and shifts the work into your abs and obliques instead of your spine.
- Keep your neck neutral. In crunches and twists, think of keeping space between your chin and chest. This reduces strain and helps you initiate the movement from your trunk.
- Control every rep. Fast, swinging reps rely on momentum instead of muscle. Slow down enough that you can feel your obliques engaging throughout the range of motion.
These cues apply across your oblique workout, whether you are doing side planks, woodchops, Russian twists, or loaded carries.
Build a quick, balanced oblique routine
You do not need hour-long ab sessions to get stronger obliques. Both Dynamic Chiropractic and the Peloton blog suggest that focused work a few times per week is enough to see benefits.
Here is a simple structure you can use 3 to 4 times a week:
- Anti-rotation or anti-lateral flexion
- Pallof press, suitcase carry, or side plank hold
- 2 to 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds or 8 to 12 controlled reps
- Rotation or lateral flexion movement
- Woodchops, Russian twists, or oblique crunches
- 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps per side
- Full-core finisher
- Mountain climbers, plank rotations, or hanging knee raises with a twist, all recommended in the research as effective for targeting internal and external obliques
- 30 to 45 seconds, 1 to 2 rounds
You can plug this short circuit into the end of a cardio session or strength workout. Over time, this mix of stability and movement improves your posture, balance, and rotational power.
Think beyond appearance
Oblique workouts are often framed as tools to get rid of love handles or carve out a sharper waist. While consistent training, a healthy diet, and regular cardio can reduce the appearance of love handles by strengthening and toning the muscles in that area, your obliques do much more than shape your midsection.
According to the Peloton blog and Men’s Health, stronger obliques help you:
- Maintain better spinal alignment and reduce lower back strain
- Improve balance and stability when you stand on one foot, jump, or change direction
- Support heavy lifts like squats and deadlifts by stabilizing your torso
- Move more freely in everyday life, from carrying groceries to playing with kids
They also do not widen your waist or make you look boxy. Instead, they create a more defined, supportive midsection.
If your current oblique workout is focused only on crunches or quick side bends, the key step you are missing is a combination of stability work, smart exercise selection, and intentional form. Add those in, even for just 5 to 10 minutes, a few days a week, and you will feel the difference in how your whole body moves and feels.
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