Playback starts YouTube’s embedded player (privacy-enhanced mode).
HOW TO TARGET THE OBLIQUES! | 10 Best Exercises
ChannelATHLEAN-X™In brief
This video breaks down 10 targeted exercises to strengthen and define your obliques, focusing on proper form and controlled movements for maximum muscle activation. Whether you're new to core work or refining your routine, these techniques emphasize rotation, stability, and functional strength—no high-rep shortcuts needed. The creator highlights how precise execution (like full range of motion and slow tempo) yields better results than volume alone.
Questions & answers
How many reps should I aim for?
Fewer reps with perfect form—focus on quality contractions and controlled motion over volume.
Can these exercises be done without equipment?
Yes: side crunches, side bridges, and broomstick twists (use a sturdy stick or towel) require no gear.
Will these exercises help with side bending or rotation in sports?
Absolutely—the creator emphasizes functional movements that improve rotational control and stability for athletic performance.
Description from the creator
60% off all AX programs - athleanx.com/x/122-workouts
Subscribe to this channel here - bit.ly/2b0coMW
It starts with understanding a bit about the anatomy of the obliques. You have both internal and external obliques that work in concert to produce rotation, and more importantly, control rotation (and in some cases prevent it all together). They also can produce side bending and flexion of the trunk depending on the movement being used to elicit their contraction.
The key is, that in order to get the most out of your oblique exercises and learn how to get them more shredded, you will want to pay attention to how you are doing every rep you do. Let me show you what I mean as I take you through my favorite choices.
First up is the standard side crunch. This actually is still one of the simplest and best ways to train your obliques but you have to perform them as I’m showing you here. You can’t abbreviate the range of motion and in doing so, limit the activation of the muscle. Instead, rotate your body back towards the floor to get a greater stretch on the obliques and a better contraction as a result on every rep.
The side bridge is going to train your obliques as a dynamic stabilizer. The key is to fire the bottom side to allow you to obtain a sturdy pillar-like stability to your torso from your head to your toes. Dip down a bit to challenge the muscles on every rep and then re-establish this stable position by firing up the internal and external obliques.
Continue to escalate the quality of the contraction by now moving up to an elbow to knee crunch. Here you are getting the added benefit of the knee drive which will help to posteriorly rotate the pelvis and intensify the contraction of the obliques on every rep. Remember to not go too fast and instead go slow enough to be sure the muscles you are trying to train are doing the work.
The kneeling cable press out is an amazing way to offset the load to one side and really challenge the anti-rotation function of the torso and obliques. You can do this either in the kneeling position or more athletically, on your feet. Either way, it’s a great way to challenge your obliques in a more functional way as you progress.
The seated broomstick twist is an old school ab exercise that is often done incorrectly. Too many times it’s done for high repetitions and with no are as to the amount of rotation being forced by the lumbar spine. It shouldn’t be this way. Instead, perform them as I’m showing you here and you will be amazed at how much more you feel them.
The exercises continue and get more difficult. From the hanging corkscrew twists to the banded cauldrons, each one is geared at limiting the focus of the contraction to the often overshadowed internal and external obliques. When you increase the strength of these muscles they tend to pay big dividends as you take their new strength back to the bigger lifts in your overall workout plan.
For a complete step by step workout plan for your core and a meal plan that will help you get shredded obliques at the same time, be sure to check out the new Core4 Abs program available at athleanx.com at the link below. Start training your core in a whole new way and be prepared for a whole new set of results from your workouts.
For more oblique workouts and exercises for a ripped midsection, be sure to subscribe to our channel via the link below and don’t forget to turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it is published.
About this tutorial
ATHLEAN-X™ published this 12:21 video tutorial on January 28, 2020. It has been watched 3,407,135 times on YouTube.
- Channel
- ATHLEAN-X™
- Category
- Howto & Style
- Duration
- 12:21
- Published
- January 28, 2020
- Views
- 3,407,135
- Likes
- 98,822
Tags
Share
This tutorial in other languages
- FRCOMMENT CIBLE LA OBLIQUES! | 10 meilleurs exercices
- ESCómo orientar los oblicuos! | 10 mejores ejercicios
- PTCOMO ALVO os oblíquos! | 10 melhores exercícios
- ITCOME TARGET gli obliqui! | 10 Migliori esercizi
- DEWIE SOLL DIE obliques! | 10 besten Übungen
- NLHOE TARGET DE obliques! | 10 Beste Oefeningen
- RUКАК ЗАДАЧА косые! | 10 лучших упражнений
- PLJAK docelowa skośne! | 10 najlepszych ćwiczeń
- JAHOW TO THE TARGET斜! | 10のベスト演習
- ARHOW TO THE TARGET أبليقوس! | أفضل 10 تمارين
- HIकैसे करने के लिए लक्षित obliques! | 10 सर्वश्रेष्ठ व्यायाम
- IDCARA TARGET obliques! | 10 Latihan Terbaik