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Maintaining core strength is crucial for most daily movement and protects you from back pain and injury. If your core strength weakens as you age, your mobility and ability to do basic, daily movements will become more challenging and even painful!
One of the best ways to improve core strength is by working the obliques (or your side abs), which are responsible for your posture and range of motion. (It’s also a great way to tone your abs!)
This oblique workout is what you can consider “daily maintenance.” So whether you’re a high-performing athlete or an aging adult, this oblique workout is for you!
We’ve rounded up nine of our best oblique exercises that will get you to bend, rotate, and stabilize:
Exercises 1-3 will help with bending.
Exercises 4-6 will help with rotating.
Exercises 7-9 will help with stabilizing your core.
All of the exercises help strengthen your core and tighten your abs!
Instructions: For each exercise, try between 10-12 repetitions or 6-8 per side if the exercise requires you to work both sides.
1. Oblique Crunch
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform an oblique crunch:
Begin by lying on your side, forearm down, knees slightly bent.
Roll slightly back onto your glute, like you’re sitting on the back pocket of your blue jeans, and lift your legs a few inches off the mat. Bring the top hand behind your head so the elbow is bent.
Lift your legs up, bringing your knees to your elbow, while simultaneously crunching your elbow toward your knee. Squeeze your waistline with each lift.
Perform the desired number of reps and switch sides.
2. Oblique Burners
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform oblique burners:
Stand with feet a little wider than hip-distance apart, knees bent, and hands held behind the back of your head.
Bend to the right, reaching right hand toward the floor behind your leg. Keep spine long.
Return to center and repeat on the left side.
3. Side Plank Crunch
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform a side plank crunch:
Start by laying on your right side with your right forearm below your shoulder, body lifted, with legs long and feet stacked. Keep your body straight and abs tight, and raise your left arm straight.
Bring the elbow of your left arm to your left knee as you bring it in. Tap your elbow and knee together, then extend them long again and repeat the tap.
Repeat on the other side.
4. Side Plank Scoop
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform a side plank scoop:
Begin in a full side plank position with your right hand below your shoulder, left arm reaching high above your left shoulder, and legs long. (Modify by placing bottom knee onto the mat if needed.)
Tighten your abs and slowly scoop your left arm under the body, following with your eyes until you see behind you.
Slowly reach left hand back to start position.
Repeat for desired number of reps and switch sides.
5. Russian Twist
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform a Russian twist:
Start seated with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, with both hands in front of the chest. (Dumbbell is optional.)
Keeping the spine long and abdominals pulled in, lean slightly back and lift your feet a few inches off the floor. (If that is too difficult, keep your feet down on the floor.)
Slowly twist the torso to the left and bring your hands or dumbbell beside the left hip.
Return to center, and then slowly twist to the right, bringing your hands or dumbbell beside the right hip to complete one rotation.
Continue to rotate from side to side using the obliques and not your lower back.
6. Cross-Body Plank
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform a cross-body plank:
Begin in a plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your feet together, and your body in a straight line.
Pull your right knee under your belly to touch your left elbow, then release back to start position.
Now pull your left knee under your belly to touch your right elbow, then release back to start position.
Continue for desired number of reps. Keep abs tight and keep body in control.
7. Star Plank
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform a star plank:
Begin in a side plank position with your right arm straight below your right shoulder, with legs long and feet stacked.
Reach the top arm and leg up and hold, squeezing abdominals.
Stay for desired amount of time and switch sides.
8. Hip Dips
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform hip dips:
Begin in a forearm plank position with your forearms flat on the mat, making sure that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders, your core is engaged, and your body is in a straight line from your head to your feet.
Lower your left hip toward the floor until it almost touches, and then immediately raise back to center.
Repeat on the right side.
9. Spiderman Abs
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
How to perform spiderman abs:
Start in a plank position with hands on mat slightly wider than your shoulders, legs long behind you, and abs and glutes squeezed tight.
Pull the left knee toward the outside of your left elbow and hold for one count.
Return to the starting position and repeat on right side.
Alternate the left and right side for desired number of reps.
The Best Love Handle Workout
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These five exercises specifically target the love handles and will have you feeling the burn!
Combine this workout with a healthy diet and cardio, and you’ll watch that belly fat “waist” away.
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9 Tips For Joint Health | Keep Your Joints Healthy As You Age
53 Best Weight Loss Snacks
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To keep you from going crazy with calories even when the saltiest of cravings hit, my team and I rounded up our best weight-loss snack recipes that are super easy to throw together.
And when you don’t have time or you’re on the go, we also made a list of our favorite healthy purchased snacks too!
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