Sculpted, Strong Sides: The Best Oblique Exercises

When most people think of core training, they immediately think of those six-pack muscles at the front of your belly, but your core is made up of so much more than that, and your obliques also need a whole lot of love. Here's why oblique training is so important and some of our favourite exercises - with and without equipment.

What are your obliques?

Your obliques are your side-body muscles that run down the sides of your ribs, and they do so much more than you realise, from supporting your spine to powering rotation to making every lift and torso movement feel seamless. 

You have your external obliques (the larger muscles on the surface) and your internal obliques (which are the deeper muscles underneath).

Why is strengthening your obliques important?

Working on your obliques isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s important for overall strength, posture, performance and functional movement. 

A strong set of obliques can help to:

• Improve your core stability: Crucial for balance, lifting, running and full-body strength.

• Support your posture: Your obliques don’t exist in isolation, and because of their connection to your pelvis and spine, improving their strength can mean better posture.

• Enhance your athletic performance: Good rotation power = better strength, agility and control. Whether you’re hitting a ball, throwing a punch, changing directions on a run, or twisting with a medicine ball, stronger obliques are going to make it all easier.

• Better lifting: Strong lifts need a strong core, and that’s never just about your abs - it’s about strengthening the entire wrap-around corset of muscles in your torso.

• Support everyday movement: Think twisting, reaching, carrying and bending

• Reduce your risk of injury: Giving your spine better support can reduce your injuries and back pain, especially in your lower back.

Strengthening these side muscles can make every exercise (and every day movement) feel more controlled, supported, and balanced, as well as supporting your abs, lower back, diaphragm and pelvic floor.

5 of the best no-equipment oblique exercises

If you’re training at home, on the go, or all the equipment is occupied at the gym, these no-equipment exercises will still give your obliques a great workout.

Side plank with optional hip dips

1. Start in a side plank with your elbow under your shoulder, legs extended, and your body in a straight line.

2. Engage your core and keep your hips stacked.

3. You can either hold a static side plank or advance the exercise by lowering your hips toward the floor with control, only going as far as you can while maintaining alignment.

4. Press through your obliques to lift your hips back to the starting position.

5. Continue for 30 seconds of 15 reps, then switch sides.

Dead bug

Dead bugs are great for building core strength but remember to move slowly with control to get the most out of each rep. Instead of holding a dumbbell, you can also add resistance to this exercise by wearing wrist and ankle weights.

1. Lie on your back with your legs stretched out and your back on the floor, holding a dumbbell directly above your head.

2. Bring your knees up so they are directly above your hips. You want a 90-degree angle at both the hip and the knee.

3. Keeping your arms straight, lower the dumbbell behind your head until your elbows are by your ears, and at the same time, extend your left leg (opposite) out so it’s straight and hovering above the floor. Your back should remain firmly on the ground at all times to keep your core engaged. Think about drawing your belly button towards the floor!

4. Bring your arms and the extended leg back to the starting position. Repeat, alternating sides.

Bicycle crunches

1. Lie on your back with your hands lightly behind your head and your legs lifted in tabletop (knees over hips, shins parallel to the floor).

2. Engage your core by drawing your belly button towards your spine, then lift your shoulder blades off the mat.

3. Extend your right leg forward while twisting your torso to bring your right elbow toward your left knee.

4. Switch sides, extending your left leg and bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.

5. Continue alternating with a smooth, controlled pedalling motion.

Alternating bird dog

1. Starting on all fours on a yoga mat, ensure that your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Set your spine in a neutral position and draw your shoulder blades down and back. This is your starting position.

2. Gently draw your belly button towards your spine to engage your core. Release and elevate your right arm and left leg until they are in line with your spine, ensuring that your shoulders and hips remain parallel to (in line with) the floor.

3. Lower your right arm and left leg to return to the starting position.

4. Release and elevate your left arm and right leg until they are in line with your spine, ensuring that your shoulders and hips remain parallel to (in line with) the floor.

5. Lower your left arm and right leg to return to the starting position. Continue alternating between sides.

Lunge with alternating twist

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and hands clasped in front of your chest.

2. Step your right foot forward into a lunge, bending both knees to about 90 degrees.

3. Once stable, rotate your torso toward your front (right) leg, keeping your hips square.

4. Rotate back to centre, then push through your front heel to return to standing.

5. Step forward with your left leg and repeat the twist on the opposite side.

6. Continue alternating sides for 60 seconds (30 seconds on each side).

5 of the best oblique exercises with equipment

Got access to equipment at home or training in a gym? Challenge yourself even more by adding extra weight! Here are five of our favourite moves using equipment.

Russian twist

Although it might look impressive to perform Russian twists at a million miles per hour, you’ll get a much more effective workout moving slowly.

1. Start seated on a yoga mat with your knees bent and heels on the mat, holding a medicine ball or weight of your choice. Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight, so that your abdominals are engaged and you are balancing on your sit bones. This is your starting position.

2. While keeping your lower body as still as possible (you don’t want to be rocking forward and back), twist your torso to the right, come back to the centre starting position, then twist to the left.

3. Continue alternating between left and right.

Dumbbell side crunch

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your right hand by your side.

2. Place your left hand lightly behind your head or on your hip.

3. Brace your core and slowly lower the dumbbell down the outside of your right leg by bending sideways at the waist.

4. Pause at the bottom, then use your left oblique to pull your torso back to the starting position.

5. Complete 30 seconds or 15 reps on one side before switching the dumbbell to your left hand.

Hanging alternating bent-leg knee raises

1. Grip an overhead bar or gymnastics rings with your hands shoulder-width apart and allow your body to hang with control.

2. Engage your core and keep your shoulders down and away from your ears.

3. Lift your right knee up toward your chest, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

4. Lower your right leg back to the starting position without swinging.

5. Lift your left knee toward your chest, then lower with control.

6. Continue alternating legs for 10-15 reps on each side.

Cable machine woodchops

1. Set the cable machine at the low position and attach a handle.

2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the handle with both hands.

3. Start with the handle near your hip on one side, elbows slightly bent.

4. Engage your core and rotate your torso, pulling the cable diagonally upward across your body toward the opposite shoulder.

5. Pause at the top, then slowly return to the starting position.

6. Complete 10-15 reps on one side before switching sides.

Back extension machine oblique crunch

This is quite an advanced exercise and requires a lot of core strength and control, so take it slowly. Form is more important than going for a full range of motion, so if maintaining good form means only starting with very small crunches, do it!

1. Adjust the back extension machine so your hips are comfortably supported and your feet are secure.

2. Position your body sideways on the pad, so your obliques face the floor.

3. Cross your arms over your chest or place your hands lightly behind your head.

4. Engage your obliques and slowly lift your upper body, curling your ribs toward your hips.

5. Pause briefly at the top, then lower with control. Only lower to a point that you'll be able to lift yourself back up.

6. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other.

Stronger sides

Training your obliques isn’t just about shaping your waist; it’s about building a stronger, more stable body that supports you through every workout and every moment of daily life. Add a few of these moves to your weekly routine and you’ll feel the difference in your strength, control and confidence.

You’ll also find plenty more oblique-strengthening exercises in the Sweat app!