Obliques exercises
Rotate and side-bend the trunk, and resist rotation. The internal oblique on one side works with the external oblique on the other.
What loads it, and how many ways
22PRIME-MOVER LIFTS
28 more work the obliques as a synergist or stabiliser — real volume, and it counts toward your weekly total. 7 of the 22 need no equipment at all.
Anatomy: External and internal obliques. Side-bending with heavy weight builds the muscle but does not narrow the waist — the muscle is what would grow.
ಮೂಲ.ಪ್ರಕಟಿತ ವ್ಯಾಯಾಮ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಗಳು.PRIME MOVER ASSIGNED BY JOINT ACTION.ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆ ಜುಲೈ 2026
How the obliques list is built
- Start from the joint action, not the sensation. A muscle is credited when the action it produces is the one being resisted.
- Credit exactly one role per exercise: prime mover, or synergist and stabiliser. Nothing is listed twice.
- Rank by technical demand on a 1–5 scale — how much practice the movement needs to be done safely, not how hard the set feels.
- Attach the published MET category so the energy figure on every card traces back to the same table.
ಮೂಲ.ಪ್ರಕಟಿತ ವ್ಯಾಯಾಮ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಗಳು.ATTRIBUTION BY JOINT ACTION.ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆ ಜುಲೈ 2026
Every obliques lift, easiest first
Ranked by technical demand, not by quality. If the movement is new to you, start at the top of the column and earn your way down it.
| Exercise | Equipment | Pattern | ಪ್ರಕಾರ | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band Pallof Press | Resistance band | Rotation | Hold | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Band Woodchop | Resistance band | Rotation | Compound | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Bicycle Crunch | Bodyweight | Brace | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Cable Side Bend | Cable machine | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Dumbbell Side Bend | ಡಂಬೆಲ್ಗಳು | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Heel Tap | Bodyweight | Brace | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Oblique Crunch | Bodyweight | Brace | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Standing Band Twist | Resistance band | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Pallof Press | Cable machine | Rotation | Hold | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Russian Twist | Bodyweight + Weight plate | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Seated Cable Twist | Cable machine | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Side Plank | Bodyweight | Brace | Hold | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Suitcase Carry | Dumbbells + Kettlebell | Carry | Hold | ಆರಂಭಿಕ |
| Cable Woodchop | Cable machine | Rotation | Compound | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Cross-Body Mountain Climber | Bodyweight | Brace | Explosive | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Half-Kneeling Pallof Press | Cable machine | Rotation | Hold | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Landmine 180 | Landmine + Barbell | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Low-to-High Cable Chop | Cable machine | Rotation | Compound | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Rotational Medicine Ball Throw | Medicine ball | Rotation | Explosive | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Side Plank with Hip Dip | Bodyweight | Brace | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | ಮಧ್ಯಮ |
| Star Side Plank | Bodyweight | Brace | Hold | Advanced |
| Hanging Windshield Wiper | Pull-up bar + Bodyweight | Rotation | ಐಸೊಲೇಶನ್ | Advanced |
Obliques at home, with nothing at all
No equipment, no gym, no excuse — 7 movements that train this muscle with bodyweight alone.
Also works the obliques as a synergist
These do not have it as the prime mover, but it contributes real work. That matters when you are counting weekly volume.
4 more not shown. Browse the full list of 365 exercises.
How to train it
Rotate and side-bend the trunk, and resist rotation. The internal oblique on one side works with the external oblique on the other. Side-bending with heavy weight builds the muscle but does not narrow the waist — the muscle is what would grow.
Volume is what drives growth: roughly ten to twenty hard sets per muscle group per week suits most people, spread over at least two sessions rather than crammed into one. Beyond that, the honest advice is unglamorous — pick two or three exercises, add weight or reps over time, and keep the technique the same as the load climbs.
The obliques appears in 3 of the 9 movement patterns on this site: rotation, brace, carry. Training more than one of them is how you avoid a muscle that is strong in exactly one position.
The questions that come up on the floor
What is the best exercise for the obliques?
There is no single best exercise, but the obliques is the prime mover in 22 movements on this site, across 3 movement patterns. A sensible programme picks one heavy compound movement and one isolation movement rather than collecting ten variations of the same thing. 3 of these are compound and 11 are isolation exercises.
How do I train the obliques at home?
7 of the 22 exercises here need no equipment at all — starting with the bicycle crunch. A further 7 need only home-scale kit such as dumbbells or a resistance band. Progress at home comes from harder variations, slower tempo and single-limb versions rather than from adding plates.
Can I lose fat from the obliques area by training it?
No. Spot reduction does not work — training a muscle does not remove the fat that sits over it. Direct work builds the obliques; fat loss happens across the whole body in response to an overall calorie deficit, and where it comes off first is largely genetic.
What does the obliques actually do?
Rotate and side-bend the trunk, and resist rotation. The internal oblique on one side works with the external oblique on the other. Side-bending with heavy weight builds the muscle but does not narrow the waist — the muscle is what would grow.
Muscle roles follow standard kinesiology references and are described by joint action rather than by gym convention — see how this site is built. Energy figures are derived from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Every reference is named and dated on the ಮೂಲಗಳು page. General information only — not medical or coaching advice. Load, form and progression should be adjusted to your own experience and any injury history. When in doubt, get coached in person.
ಮೂಲ.ಪ್ರಕಟಿತ ವ್ಯಾಯಾಮ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಗಳು.MUSCLE ROLES ASSIGNED BY JOINT ACTION.ಪರಿಶೀಲನೆ ಜುಲೈ 2026
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