Oblique Leg Twists
Description
The oblique leg twist exercise is an excellent way to isolate the sides of the torso, otherwise known as the “love handles” or the “spare tire”. In terms of functionality, the oblique muscles are responsible for the rotation movements that we frequently perform during both athletics and day to day activities. Throughout movement execution, it is important to keep the head and shoulders in contact with the floor.
Video
Get A Free Workout Program
Detailed Workout Programs Designed By Certified Personal Trainers.
Get Them Now!
Execution
- While lying with your back to the mat, extend the arms to the sides at shoulder level. Raise the legs until the thighs are vertical and bend at the knees.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, allow the legs to rotate down to the side. In order to maintain a contraction of the oblique muscles, the movement should be stopped just shy of making leg-to-mat contact.
- Exhale and raise the legs back up to starting position.
- Repeat the motion, only this time, allow the legs to rotate down to the opposite side.
- Continue until muscular failure sets in.
Variations
By maintaining a slight bend at the knees throughout the movement, the exercise will be a little bit easier to complete. This is the ideal method for beginners.
By turning the head in the opposite direction of the legs, more of a stretch will be felt within the oblique muscles.
Machine Crunches
Description
Machine crunches are an excellent choice for both beginner and advanced trainees. Beginners will find machine crunches to be a practical alternative due to the movement simplicity and the option to select a relatively light resistance. Since the adjustable stack allows the option to increase the weights to otherwise impractical loads, advanced trainees commonly opt to incorporate machine crunches to perform their heavy repetitions to work on maximal strength.
Video
Get A Free Workout Program
Detailed Workout Programs Designed By Certified Personal Trainers.
Get Them Now!
Execution
- Adjust the seat to a position that allows the pad to line up across the chest.
- Position the lower legs behind the foot pads and hands atop the outer portion of the chest padding with elbows to the sides.
- Perform an abdominal set to protect the lower back.
- Exhale and crunch forward until a contraction is felt within the abdominal region.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, lower back down to a position just shy of starting position. Stopping shy of the starting position will ensure that the abdominals uphold the muscular contraction.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Medicine Ball Twister
Description
Although under-utilized, this exercise is a great way to strengthen the core region. Twisting the legs from side to side is especially effective when it comes to recruiting the oblique muscles. The addition of a medicine ball further enhances the movements effectiveness.
Execution
- While lying on your back, bend the knees to a 45 degree angle and place an appropriately weighted medicine ball between your inner thighs.
- Inhale and in a controlled motion, rotate your legs to the side, stopping short of making contact with the ground.
- Exhale and twist the legs to the opposing side. The result should be a smooth semi-circular motion.
- Continue until the desired number of repetitions are completed
Variations
Placing the medicine ball between the ankles instead of the inner thighs will make the movement more demanding on the torso.
Increasing the speed of the motion will increase the amount of eccentric stability needed from the obliques in order to decelerate the movement prior to making ground contact.
The movement can also be performed without the medicine ball. Beginners can go through the motion with the knees bent while advanced trainees can perform the exercise with the legs extended.
Performing the semi-circular motion with your legs while hanging from a pull-up apparatus is yet another advanced version of the movement
Oblique MB Twists
Description
This exercise is a must for most training programs as it is suitable for both beginner and advanced trainees. It is also a great option when time is limited as it recruits and trains both the abs and obliques. The obliques - as mentioned throughout the site - are often overlooked as most people concern themselves only with training the abs. Don’t make this mistake! The oblique region is extremely functional when it comes to both athletics and regular day to day activities. This is actually one of the best medicine ball core exercises that you can do.
Video
Get A Free Workout Program
Detailed Workout Programs Designed By Certified Personal Trainers.
Get Them Now!
Execution
- Sit in an upright position with the legs bent to a 45 degree angle. The feet should be in contact with the ground. From this position, grasp an appropriately weighted medicine ball and lean back slightly until you feel a contraction within the abdominal region.
- With the arms extended and the medicine ball positioned over the chest, perform a semi-circular motion by shifting the arms from side to side.
- Repeat until the desired number if repetitions are completed.
Note: Remember to breath constantly throughout the exercise.
Variations
Elevating the feet will decrease stability and increase the reliance on the abdominal region to maintain the position. This will increase the difficulty.
Bending the arms will make the movement easier. You can use this technique in combination with the straight arm method to decrease the difficulty when first stage of fatigue is reached. This will produce an end result similar to a drop set.
Performing the exercise on a BOSU balance trainer will increase the stability recruitment and therefore, the movement will be more difficult to perform.
Seated Partner MB Toss
Description
Considering the amount of times we turn and rotate our bodies throughout the course of a day, it only makes sense to strengthen the muscles that are responsible for these movements. The oblique muscles - both internal and external - enable us to efficiently rotate and perform many common activities of daily living.
The functionality of these muscles goes beyond household tasks considering that many high-performance sporting movements - such as a golf swing - are initiated through core rotation. Performing the following medicine ball toss, along with some of the other oblique-strengthening movements provided within this site, will be very effective in improving both your athletic performance and your ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
Execution
- While in a seated position, bend knees slightly while keeping heels in contact with the ground, and lean back until tension is felt within the abdominal region.
- Inhale and while holding a medicine ball with arms extended, rotate torso to the left and tap the ball to the ground. Rotate to a position that provides a stretch but still remains comfortable.
- Exhale, rotate torso and while maintaining arm extension, release the ball in the direction of your partners hands for him/her to catch and control.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
- Change positions in order to train the other side of your torso.
Variations
Lifting the feet a few inches off the ground while performing the movement will increase the need for stabilization and activate additional muscles to contract throughout the movement.
The further away from the body the ball is tapped to the floor, the more recruitment is needed from the core.
A similar movement can be performed by using two decline benches - side by side.
V-Crunch
Description
This exercise, which can be done anywhere, is very effective because it simultaneously trains both the upper and lower regions of the abdominals. Since the movement requires the trainee to stabilize themselves, the deep intrinsic muscles within the core are recruited. Also, remember to perform an abdominal set prior to execution.
Execution
- While seated in an upright position on either the floor, a mat or a flat bench, bend your legs and slightly lean back. You should feel a contraction within the abdominals.
- While keeping knees slightly bent, elevate heels a few inches off the ground/bench.
- Exhale and simultaneously draw your knees and chest towards each other.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, lower back to the position mentioned in step 2.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
To increase the difficulty of the exercise, you can replace the stable surface of the floor/bench with an unstable surface such as a bosu balance trainer.
Decline Leg Raises
Description
This is one of the better exercises for lower abs. The addition of the decline bench to the traditional leg raise movement slightly increases the difficulty. Similar to the other exercises for the lower abdominals, it is important that a pelvic tilt is executed at the final stage of the movement to place maximal emphasis on the abdominals rather than the hip flexors.
Execution
- Pull a decline bench up to the Smith machine. The low end of the bench should be facing away from the Smith machine bar.
- Lie in supine position on the bench and grip the Smith machine bar. Make sure that the bar is securely hooked into the rack.
- Perform abdominal set and prepare to initiate movement.
- Exhale, flex legs at the hips, perform a pelvic tilt and draw legs into an elevated position. Pause and briefly hold this position.
- Inhale and lower legs back down at a controlled speed.
- Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Performing movement with the knees in a slightly bent position will make the exercise a little bit easier.
Placing a medicine ball in between your thighs will add resistance and increase the difficulty.
Decline Crunches
Description
Decline crunches are a great exercise to tone the abdominal region. Decline crunches are slightly more difficult than the traditional versions in which the crunch is performed on a flat surface. Other great benefits associated with decline crunches are all the variations that can be utilized to make the exercise either easier or more difficult. More detail on implementing these techniques can be found below.
Note: Before performing decline crunches, you want to make sure that you perform an “abdominal set”. Check out our abdominal training article for more information.
Execution
- Hook feet under the pads and set the abdominal muscles by drawing the navel towards the spine and slightly rotating the pelvis forward.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, lower yourself down to an angle that is comfortable, yet stresses the abdominal region. You may find that if you lower yourself down too far, back pain will ensue.
- Exhale and crunch upwards bringing the elbows to the knees. Briefly hold this finishing position.
- Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Getting your partner to wrap a towel around the upper chest and pull down slightly will add resistance and increase the difficulty.
Difficulty can also be increased by holding a weight in hands with arms extended at a 45degree angle.
Slightly easier than holding the weight at a 45 degree angle would be to hold the weight across the chest.
Rotating and drawing your elbow to its opposing knee will effectively recruit the oblique muscles.