When we think of our core muscles we often think of our “abs” or “six pack muscle” consisting of the rectus abdominis. Often neglected and overlooked are the other muscles of the core, which include the obliques.

Our oblique muscles are one of our main core muscles, consisting of two layers.

The top layer (external obliques) is the layer that we can see, found on the side of your body, attaching from the middle of the ribs to the top of the hips.

The inside layer (internal obliques) is a deeper muscle, which we can’t see, that is located just underneath the external obliques and can be found from the bottom of the ribs to the top of the pelvis.

What Do The Obliques Do?

The oblique muscles play a huge role within the body and are used in a lot of everyday movements.

The primary role of the obliques is to help stabilise the spine. A key example of this is being able to stand upright without falling down.

A secondary role of the obliques is to control movement through the spine, ribs, and pelvis. Movements include lateral flexion (side bending), trunk rotation and forward flexion. Functional examples of these movements include twisting to look behind you and bending down to put your socks on.

Will Oblique Training Reduce Belly Fat?

A common misconception is that training the oblique muscles will reduce body fat in this area, leading to a narrower waist or reduced ‘love handles’. Actually, this is not true.

Firstly, despite what a lot of fad exercises claim, you can’t choose where your body reduces fat (known as spot reducing). Secondly, to lose body fat we need to be in a calorie deficit and any resulting fat loss can occur anywhere from the body. A big factor in where you lose body fat from will be genetics.

So why do you need to train obliques? Training the obliques will result in a stronger core, which will help in other areas of your strength training, such as performing squats and deadlifts. Training the obliques can also improve posture, help to prevent injury in the back and hips and growing the muscles will provide physique benefits, including a more defined core.

Now you know that there is more to core training than endless sit-ups, start taking a more balanced approach by training the obliques with the following exercises.

Our Top 8 Oblique Exercises

1 - Pallof Press

3 Sets of 8-12 Reps on Each Side

• Standing perpendicular to an anchor point with feet shoulder width part, holding the cable or resistance band close to the chest.

• Create tension by stepping away from the anchor point.

• Punch out your hands into a fully extended position while maintaining good posture, keeping the core tight and resisting the rotation.

• Return your hands back to your chest while maintaining the resistance through the movement.

2 - Plank Drag

3 Sets of 10-12 Reps

• Start in a military plank position (on your hands) with a Kettlebell or dumbbell placed just outside and behind your left hand.

• Maintain a stable plank position, resisting rotation drag the weight from the start position to the opposite side.

• Repeat, ending at the left hand, to complete one rep.

3 - Plank Hip Dip

3 Sets of 8-12 Reps on Each Side

• Begin in a side plank position, on the forearm.

• Lower your hips to the floor keeping your core engaged and your body in a neutral position.

• Keep the movement controlled and avoid letting your body sag.

• To finish the movement, bring the hips back to the starting position.

4 - Cable Woodchop

3 Sets of 12 Reps on Each Side

• Stand perpendicular to the Cable Machine.

• Start with the pulley at its highest point and grab the handle with both hands.

• Take a couple of steps away from the machine.

• Keeping your feet at shoulder width apart, start to rotate your hips, shoulders and arms away from the machine and pull the handle diagonally across your body, starting high and finishing low.

• Return to the start position to finish the movement.

5 - Russian Twist with Weight Plate

3 Sets of 10-12 Reps

• Start by sitting on the floor leaning back slightly with your feet hovering just off the floor, holding a weight plate in both hands.

• Keeping your core engaged, start to rotate the Weight Plate towards the floor in a controlled manner, finishing next to your hip, not letting the weight rest on the floor.

• Repeat the same on the opposite side to complete one rep.

6 - Lateral Ball Slam

3 Sets of 6-8 Reps

• Start in a standing position, holding a slam ball overhead.

• Twist over to one side and forcefully slam the ball down.

• During this movement bend your knees and keep your core tight to protect your lower back.

• Catch or pick the ball back up and repeat on the opposite side to complete one rep.

7 - Alternate V-Up

3 Sets of 8-12 Reps

• Lay flat on your back, lifting your legs and upper body off the ground at the same time, aiming to reach your right hand to your left foot.

• Lower back with control to the start position.

8 - Side Plank

3 Sets of 20-40 Seconds on Each Side

• Lay on your side, balancing on your forearm with your feet stacked on top of each other.

• Lift your hips off the ground engaging the obliques.

• Maintain a good posture and aligned body position.

• Hold this position for a set duration before swapping to your opposite side.

Whatever your current goal, whether you want to enhance your athletic performance, prevent injury, or achieve a more defined core, don’t overlook the importance of training your obliques.

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Tags: Exercise Type > Conditioning