Are you looking to strengthen your core and slim down your waistline? Look no further than these 10 best obliques exercises.
Your obliques are the muscles on the sides of your abdomen that help with twisting and bending movements. Strengthening these muscles not only helps with overall core strength, but it can also give you a more defined waistline.
Incorporating these 10 best obliques exercises into your workout routine can help you achieve a stronger core and a slimmer waistline. With consistency and dedication, you’ll be on your way to a stronger, more defined core in no time.
10 Best Oblique Exercises for Women to Get Stronger Abs
1. Side Plank Dips
Side plank dips are a more challenging way to fire up the obliques in a side plank position. This exercise primarily targets the obliques but it also works the whole side of the body (shoulders, core, hips).
- Start in a side plank.
- Drop your hips toward the floor and raise back to starting position or a little higher if you can.
- Aim for 10-12 reps on each side.
2. Sit-Ups to Twist
This exercise targets the obliques but you will also work all of the abdominal muscles.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat to the floor.
- Place your hands behind your head, engage your core and do a full sit-up.
- At the top of the sit-up, bring your right elbow to your left knee and twist your body toward that side.
- Lower back down to start.
- Repeat this movement alternating sides each time.
- Aim for 10-12 reps
3. Russian Twists
Russian twists work the entire core with emphasis on the obliques, thanks to the twisting motion.
- Sit up with your legs out in front of you, knees bent and your heels on the floor, your back at a 45-degree angle to the floor.
- Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell (try 8 to 10 pounds) with both hands by your stomach.
- Keep your back straight and medicine ball in close to your torso as you twist to the right and left.
- Aim for 10-12 reps
4. Spiderman
These are great for the entire core, but the side crunch part shows your obliques some extra love. You’ll also get a bonus upper body workout, since you’re using your arms, shoulders, and back to stay in plank position. And as with any exercise that’s done in plank position, you should also be engaging (and therefore, working) your butt the entire time.
- Start in a high plank, arms extended and your hands under your shoulders, with your core engaged.
- Bring your left knee to your left elbow.
- Use your upper body to turn toward your knee to perform what looks like a side crunch.
- Continue the movement, alternating sides.
- Aim for 10-12 reps
5. Trunk Rotations
Trunk rotations are great for the core, and target the obliques as well as the upper body.
- Start in a high plank with your core engaged.
- Don’t forget to squeeze your butt the entire time.
- Bring your left knee underneath your body toward your right elbow by twisting your torso slightly.
- Think of it as a slow side-to-side mountain climber.
- Repeat the movement alternating sides.
- Aim for 10-12 reps
6. Wood Choppers
The rotating motion here targets your obliques, but is also great to fire up the quads and glutes.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in both hands.
- Hold the weight by both ends with arms extended in front of your left leg, knees bent slightly.
- Rotate slightly off your left foot as you twist your body and swing the weight across your body up and to the right, keeping your arms straight the entire time.
- Bring the weight back to starting position.
- Repeat on the other side for 10-12 reps on each side.
7. Side Bends
The key here is making the movement slow and controlled, and initiating the movement from your core.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medium-to-heavy dumbbell in your right hand.
- Engage your core and bend at your waist to the right toward the floor.
- Let the weight guide you down slowly.
- Pulling from your core, bring your body back to start position.
- Repeat on the other side for 10-12 reps on each side.
8. Standing Side Crunch
This move mostly targets your obliques, but it also challenges your balance a bit. Make sure to keep your pelvis tucked (that is, make sure your butt isn’t sticking out) and your back straight so you don’t feel this in your lower back.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Place your right hand close to your right ear.
- Raise your right knee on the side of your body while bringing your right elbow down to meet it.
- Raise your arm back up into the air as you straighten your leg and lower your foot back down to the ground.
- Repeat on the other side for 10-12 reps on each side.
9.Side Kicks
Side kicks are primarily butt-focused, but I always find it gives me a great burn in my obliques. All you need is a stable wall to stand against.
- Stand far enough away from the wall so that you can bend your torso forward and press your palms against it, elbows bent.
- Place both hands on the wall. Lift your right leg off the ground, parallel to the floor.
- Bring your right knee in toward your right elbow.
- Then, flex your foot and kick the leg back out straight to the parallel position.
- Repeat this for 8 to 15 reps, then switch sides.
10. Power Hooks
Hooks are my favorite obliques exercise. Power hooks are great way to build upper body strength along with working the core, especially those obliques! Hit a heavy bag, use dumbbells, or just shadowbox without weights.
- Stand in a fighting stance with your power (dominant) leg behind you.
- With your guard up (hands in front of your face), take your front elbow and raise it to chest level.
- Draw your hand out so that your arm is at a 90-degree angle.
- Engage your waist and hips to throw a front hook across the body.
- Repeat with your back arm, and this time, rotate off the ball of your back foot.
- Continue alternating arms as quickly as you can while still maintaining form.
- Repeat on the other side for 10-12 reps on each side.
