Muscle group
The obliques are the muscles on the sides of your waist. They twist and bend the trunk and, just as importantly, stop it twisting when you don't want it to, so good oblique training mixes rotation, side-bending and resisting rotation.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
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There are two layers: the external obliques, whose fibres run down and in like hands in your pockets, and the internal obliques underneath, running the opposite way. Working together with the other core muscles, they rotate the torso, bend it sideways and brace the spine.
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Russian twists, woodchops and cable lifts train controlled rotation. Side bends and oblique crunches train side-bending. Side planks and their variations train the obliques to hold the trunk still. Move with control rather than speed, especially when rotating with a weight, and keep the movement coming from the torso rather than the arms.
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Pair one rotation exercise with one side-plank variation. Standing cable and woodchop patterns carry over well to sports that involve throwing, swinging or turning. Beginners can start with side planks and slow bodyweight twists before adding a cable, plate or ball.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the obliques.
Beginner isolation dumbbell exercise for the obliques.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs, lats and shoulders.
Beginner isolation barbell exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Beginner isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs, chest and hamstrings.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation plate exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation exercise ball exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs and quadriceps.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, obliques, shoulders and abductors, also working the adductors.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, quadriceps and adductors, also working the abductors.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the hamstrings, obliques and quadriceps, also working the glutes, abs and adductors.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation bodyweight exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Intermediate isolation cable machine exercise for the obliques, also working the abs.
Free GymStreak calculators that go with obliques training.
Guides from the GymStreak blog on this topic.
GymStreak's AI personal trainer builds a workout plan from your goal, schedule and equipment, shows every exercise with an animated demo and logs your sets.
