For pre-designed ab workouts, view EMG’s Ab Workouts.
Oblique Crunches Description
Step 1. Lie flat on your back letting both your legs fall to the left side so your right hip is perpendicular to your body. If your top leg will not go down all the way, let it rest in a comfortable position as close to the bottom leg as possible.
Step 2. Keeping your shoulders as close to parallel to the floor as possible, use your oblique and upper abdominal muscles to raise both shoulder blades off the floor, bringing your ribcage towards your pelvis.
Step 3. Then, lower your torso in a controlled motion. Complete all your repetitions in the set before switching sides.
Notes
Oblique crunches, despite its name, is a combination exercise that works both the obliques and the upper abs. The motion for the oblique crunch is performed in the same way as any crunch. The difference comes in how the legs are situated. By placing the legs on either side of the body (see video), the user engages his obliques on the opposite side. This is a safe core exercise for those with low back problems to perform, though depending on the degree of the user’s problem, the twisting of the low back may cause discomfort. If this is the case, the user should not perform the exercise. As with any crunch, the user should be careful not to jerk upward, but rather perform the exercise in a slow and deliberate manner.
Updated: April 11th, 2015
