When it comes to building a strong, ripped midsection, it’s easy to focus on the more visible six-pack abs while neglecting the crucial muscles on the sides of your torso.
We’re talking about your obliques, the muscles at the sides and front of your core that help you twist your torso, bend sideways, and support your abdomen.
This article reviews the 10 best oblique exercises that will not only carve out impressive side abs but also enhance your overall core strength and functional fitness. And make you look snazzy in a tight T-shirt.
Click here to jump directly to the oblique exercises!
Oblique Muscle Anatomy and Function
The oblique muscles are part of your abdominal wall, along with the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, and pyramidalis muscles. They consist of the internal and external obliques and are key to a strong and stable core, essential for everything from daily movements to athletic performance.
- The external obliques lie on either side of your abdomen, diagonally from your lower ribs to your pelvis. They help you twist your torso and bend it sideways.
- Beneath them, the internal obliques run in the opposite direction, assisting in rotating your torso, bending it sideways, and compressing the abdomen.
Together, they help rotate your spine, bend from side to side, stabilize your core, support your posture, and maintain internal abdominal pressure.
The 10 Best Oblique Exercises
These are our picks for the 10 best oblique exercises you can do for strength, function, and muscle hypertrophy.
They include isolation movements that zero in on your obliques and nothing else, as well as compound exercises that work almost all muscle groups in your body while being great oblique exercises.
1. Oblique Crunch
The oblique crunch is a variant of the traditional crunch that shifts the focus away from the rectus abdominis muscle and zeroes in on the obliques. Side crunches are a straightforward exercise that is great for any fitness level. They are easy to learn for beginners but no less effective for advanced trainees.
You can do all reps for one side at once or alternate between your right and left sides. Hold a weight plate, a dumbbell, or a heavy book to your chest for added challenge if you can do more reps than your workout calls for.
How to Do Oblique Crunches
- Lie on your back on a comfortable, flat surface like a yoga mat.
- Bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart, with your hands at the sides of your head.
- Curl your upper body up by lifting your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the ground. At the same time, twist your torso so that your right elbow moves diagonally toward your left knee.
- Pause at the top of the movement when your right elbow points toward your left knee, ensuring you feel the contraction in your right oblique muscles.
- Lower back down to the starting position without fully relaxing onto the floor, maintaining tension in your core muscles.
- Repeat the movement on the opposite side. This time, curl up and twist your torso so your left elbow moves toward your right knee.
2. Oblique Sit-Up
The oblique sit-up adds a literal twist to the traditional sit-up, turning this classic exercise for your six-pack muscles into an oblique blaster. They work not just the obliques but most of your core muscles, including the abdominal muscles and your hip flexors.
Focus on controlling the movement when you do sit-ups, contracting the obliques rather than using momentum. Maintain proper form to prevent strain on the neck and back, and avoid pulling on your neck with your hands.
Do all reps for the right side before switching to the left side, or alternate between sides; it’s up to you.
How to Do Oblique Sit-Ups
- Lie on your back, with your hands behind your head, and your legs bent to about 90 degrees. Use a weight or something to stick your feet under, so they don’t lift from the ground.
- Lift your upper body diagonally by contracting your obliques and bending forward, until your right elbow touches your left leg, or vice versa.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
3. High to Low Wood Chop
The high to low wood chop is one of the best exercises for your “side abs” and an excellent addition to your oblique workout. It gets your entire core working—especially your obliques—by mimicking a chopping motion diagonally downward across your body. It’s a dynamic exercise that combines rotation and flexing, working in line with the muscle fibers of your obliques, and it’s perfect for pretending you’re a lumberjack swinging an axe, minus the actual trees.
Besides building big and strong obliques, it helps improve rotational strength and core stability, which benefit sports and activities that involve twisting movements, like golf or tennis. The movement also mimics everyday activities, helping with tasks involving rotational movements like bending and twisting.
You can do wood chops with a band like in the GIF above or use a cable machine with suitable resistance.
How to Do High to Low Wood Chop
- Fasten an elastic band high up. Grip the band with both hands, step away, and stand sideways to the band’s anchor point.
- With almost straight arms, make a sweeping, chopping-like movement diagonally downward.
- Return to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
- Switch sides and repeat for the opposite side.
4. Horizontal Wood Chop
The horizontal wood chop is similar to the high-to-low wood chopper but without the flexing movement.
It is a great exercise to chop into your core training, making sure your oblique muscles are not only visible but functional. Plus, it’s fun pretending you’re chopping wood—just way cooler and without the splinters.
Wood choppers are perfect for athletes, as they improve your ability to perform rotational movements, which is helpful in sports and daily activities.
Remember to keep your arms extended and rotate your torso fully while actively tightening your core throughout the movement. Feel free to use heavy loads, but perform the exercise in a controlled manner, especially when returning to the starting position.
How to Do Horizontal Wood Chops
- Fasten a resistance band at shoulder height. Grip the band with both hands, step away, and stand sideways to the band’s anchor point.
- With almost straight arms, make a sweeping, horizontal movement to your other side.
- Return to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
- Switch sides and repeat in the opposite direction.
5. Farmer’s Walk
The farmer’s walk is primarily known for its brute simplicity: you pick up a pair of heavy weights and walk. This exercise targets your grip strength, shoulders, glutes, traps, upper back, and core, and yes, it works the obliques, too. As you walk with heavy weights, your core (including the obliques) has to engage to stabilize your body and keep you upright.
You can make the farmer’s walk target your obliques more effectively by:
- Carry a heavier weight in one hand than the other, or carry it in one hand only. The uneven load forces your obliques to work harder to keep you upright and balanced.
- Walk with a regular farmer’s walk setup, but add some sidesteps or lateral movements. Zigging and zagging will get your obliques firing as they help stabilize your body during the sideways motion.
How to Farmer’s Walk
- Choose a pair of dumbbells, kettlebells, or specifically designed farmer’s walk handles. Place the weights on the ground on either side of your feet, which should be about hip-width apart.
- Bend at the hips and knees, pushing your buttocks back while keeping a straight back, to lower yourself down to the weights. Your chest should be up, and your gaze forward.
- Grip the handles of the weights firmly with each hand. Your grip should be centered to balance the weight evenly. Engage your core, then lift the weights by straightening your legs and hips. Avoid rounding your back as you stand up. You should now be standing upright, weights at your sides, with your arms fully extended.
- Start walking forward using short, quick steps. Keep your back straight, shoulders back, and look forward. Your core should be tight to stabilize your body, and your movements controlled to prevent the weights from swinging.
- Throughout the walk, maintain an upright posture. Avoid leaning forward or backward. Keep your chest up and shoulders slightly back to counterbalance the weight.
- If you need to turn around or navigate corners, do so carefully to maintain balance and avoid twisting your spine. Make wide turns to manage the weights safely.
- Once you’ve reached your designated distance or if your grip begins to fail, carefully lower the weights back to the ground by bending at the hips and knees, maintaining a straight back.
- Rest, then repeat the walk for the desired number of sets and distance.
6. Ball Slams
The ball slam is a full-body exercise that primarily targets your core, shoulders, triceps, back, and even your legs when you squat down to pick up the ball. It’s an excellent exercise for building a stronger core, as your abs and obliques are involved throughout the entire dynamic movement.
You can try rotational ball slams to bring the obliques into the party more intensely. This variation involves lifting the ball up and across your body to one side, then slamming it down diagonally across to the other.
Ball slams are not just a fun way to pretend you’re smashing something annoying from your day; they’re also fantastic for building strength and power. Plus, they get your heart rate up in no time.
How to Do Ball Slams
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, your knees and hips slightly bent, holding the ball in both hands at chest height. Engage your core, and keep a good posture.
- Extend your knees and drive your hips forward while simultaneously lifting the ball. Aim for being as tall as possible, the ball overhead, arms up, hips slightly forward, and on your toes from the force of your drive.
- Use your core and arms to slam the medicine ball straight down between your feet with as much force as possible. Press your hips back and bend your knees to further power the slam. Exhale as you slam the ball down.
- Squat down to pick up the ball from the floor, then immediately move into the next slam by repeating the movement. Repeat for reps or time.
7. Lying Windshield Wiper
The lying windshield wiper is one of the best oblique exercises that not enough people include in their fitness routine. Instead of actual windshield wipers squeaking across your windshield, it’s your legs sweeping over your mat, cleaning out those love handles. This exercise is a fantastic way to challenge your obliques, core stability, and flexibility.
The rotational movement forces your obliques to work overtime to control and stabilize your legs as they sweep from side to side. Keep your shoulders planted to maximize the rotation in your torso and the load on your obliques.
If you’re up for some really hardcore oblique action, you can do windshield wipers while hanging from a bar. They require significantly more core strength, so don’t expect to be able to do them if you’re new to the exercise.
How to Do Lying Windshield Wipers
- Lie on your back, with your arms out to your sides and your legs straight up in the air.
- Slowly lower your legs down to one side.
- Reverse the motion, and lower your legs down to your other side.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
8. Lying Windshield Wiper with Bent Knees
The bent-knee windshield wiper is the beginner version of the straight-legged windshield wiper, working the same muscles and building a strong core focusing on the obliques.
Doing the exercise with straight legs can wipe out even the mightiest of abdominals, but keeping your knees bent at a 90-degree angle reduces the lever length and eases the load on your core.
How to Do Lying Windshield Wipers with Bent Knees
- Lie on your back, with your arms out to your sides and your legs straight up in the air.
- Bend your knees to 90 degrees.
- Slowly lower your legs down to one side.
- Reverse the motion, and lower your legs down to your other side.
- Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
9. Core Twist
The core twist primarily targets the abdominal muscles, with a special shoutout to the obliques. It also works your lower back and hip flexors to a lesser extent, making it a great all-around core blaster. You can perform it with or without weights, and it’s a powerhouse for improving rotational strength and overall core stability.
Beginners can keep their feet on the ground to reduce the difficulty. For an extra challenge, lift your feet off the ground and let your core feel the burn.
You can also take a small medicine ball, dumbbell, or weight plate to add resistance. Hold the weight with both hands as you twist from side to side.
Keep your eyes following the movement of your hands or the weight. Doing so helps maintain good form and maximize the twist.
How to Do Core Twists
- Sit on the floor or a mat with your knees bent like you’re about to do a sit-up.
- Lean back slightly so your torso is at a roughly 45-degree angle to the floor. Brace your abs as if you’re about to take a punch.
- Lift your feet off the ground (cross them at the ankles if it feels better) and balance on your butt. If that’s too challenging, keep your feet lightly touching the floor.
- Clasp your hands together or hold a dumbbell, medicine ball, or weight plate before your chest.
- Rotate your torso to the right, bringing your clasped hands or weight towards the floor without touching it.
- Rotate to the left at the same controlled speed, bringing your hands or weight towards the floor on your left side.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of reps or until you feel like your abs might file a complaint.
10. Side Plank
The side plank is a bodyweight exercise that strengthens and stabilizes your core, particularly your obliques.
Like the regular plank, one of the main benefits of the side plank is that you can do it anywhere—no equipment needed.
Keep your body in a straight line like a good plank of wood without letting your hips sag towards the floor. Imagine trying your best not to crush something valuable below you to increase muscle activation. Research shows that this method actually works.1
If you struggle with the straight-legged side plank, do kneeling side planks instead.
How to Do the Side Plank
- Stand on your side, leaning against one elbow.
- Place the foot of the top leg in front of the other foot.
- Brace your core, and try to form and hold a straight line from your head to your feet.
- Hold the position for as long as you can.
Ab and Oblique Workouts for Muscle and Strength
What’s that you say? You don’t want to design your own workouts? Good news – we have several ab and oblique workouts for your core training needs.
First, do you need to dedicate an entire workout to your obliques?
Probably not. Most people can build strong oblique muscles from heavy compound lifts and regular ab exercises with some oblique work thrown in.
This comprehensive abs workout covers most peoples’ oblique training needs. You can find it in your StrengthLog workout tracker as a free workout.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Kneeling Ab Wheel Roll-Out | 3 | 8 |
| High to Low Wood Chop | 3 | 10 |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 12 |
| Crunch | 2 | 20 |
Click here to go directly to the ab workout.
However, if you need a dedicated oblique workout to build your side abs, give this one a go:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| High to Low Wood Chop | 3 | 8 |
| Lying Windshield Wipers | 2 | 16 |
| Oblique Crunch | 2 | 20 |
| Side Plank | 1 | 1 minute |
Click here to go directly to the oblique workout.
The workout begins with more challenging exercises and lower repetitions per set and moves on to easier exercises with higher reps. Strive to increase the reps or weight each workout to keep progressing!
The ab and oblique workouts are free in our workout tracker app, which you can download for free using the buttons below.
StrengthLog is 100 % free, but our premium version offers additional benefits.
Want to give premium a shot? We offer all new users a free 14-day trial of premium, which you can activate in the app.
Final Words
So, you’ve made it through the list of the top 10 oblique exercises. Thank you for reading! Not only are your obliques about to become the envy of everyone at the gym, but you’re also on your way to a stronger, more stable core.
By incorporating the oblique exercises we’ve discussed into your ab routine, you’re already halfway to a more powerful and resilient midsection. Whether you aim to lift heavier, run faster, look more aesthetic, or move through everyday life more easily, these oblique exercises will provide the foundation you need.
Don’t be that person who only works on their six-pack while neglecting the rest of their core. Good luck with your oblique training!
Click here to return to our list of strength training programs and workouts.
Click here to return to our full list of strength training exercises.
