Oblique Crunches

How to do the Oblique Crunches

1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put one hand beside your head and the other to the side against the floor.
2. Make sure your feet are elevated and resting on a flat surface.
3. Now lift the shoulder in which your hand is touching your head.
4. Simply elevate your shoulder and body upward until you touch your knee. For example, if you have your right hand besides your head, then you want to elevate your body upwards until your right elbow touches your left knee. The same variation can be applied doing the inverse and using your left elbow to touch your right knee.
5. After your knee touches your elbow, lower your body until you have reached the starting position.
6. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (upward) part of the exercise.
7. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Equipment	no equipment
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

Train the same muscles a different way

6 alternatives for the same abs, with and without kit.

Dumbbell Side Bend Dumbbell Exercise Ball Crunch Exercise Ball Weighted Ball Side Bend Exercise Ball Spell Caster Dumbbell Weighted Crunches Medicine Ball Barbell Side Bend Barbell

Harder than the Oblique Crunches

Hanging Pike expert · Bodyweight Bent Press expert · Kettlebell Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees expert · Barbell

Superset the Oblique Crunches with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Oblique Crunches work?

The Oblique Crunches primarily works the abs. Ab Crunch Machine, Alternate Heel Touchers, and Barbell Side Bend train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Oblique Crunches?

None — the Oblique Crunches is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. Ab Crunch Machine and Alternate Heel Touchers also need nothing.

Is the Oblique Crunches suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Oblique Crunches is rated beginner. Hanging Pike, Bent Press, and Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees are the progressions from here.

Where should the Oblique Crunches go in a workout?

Late — the Oblique Crunches is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench and Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Ab Crunch Machine Machine Alternate Heel Touchers Bodyweight Barbell Side Bend Barbell Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends Cable Machine Cable Crunch Cable Machine Cable Reverse Crunch Cable Machine