Oblique crunches target the oblique muscles in the stomach area. They are performed by lifting the upper torso off the ground and rotating it to one side. Variations include lifting the feet off the floor and alternating knee and elbow movements.
Oblique crunches are abdominal exercises, similar to crunches that focus on the oblique muscles, muscles in the stomach area located towards the sides of the body. The difference between these crunches and crunches or regular crunches occurs once a person has lifted their upper torso off the ground. Instead of immediately lowering back down, continue the crunch by turning your torso to one side or the other, thus targeting your obliques. These oblique exercises help reduce love handles and get six pack abs.
There are four oblique muscles. The two outermost abdominal muscles, also known as the external oblique muscles, are the large, rectangular-shaped muscles that run diagonally down the sides of the waist. Directly below the external obliques are the internal oblique muscles. These muscles are triangular in shape and smaller and thinner than the external obliques.
Oblique crunches are relatively easy to do and do not require any additional equipment. While there are many variations of this exercise, a common version begins with a person lying on their back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then lightly interlock your hands behind your head. Before moving, take a deep breath in, and as you breathe out, lift your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor. Once you’ve lifted your upper torso off the ground, begin to rotate your upper body to the right by crossing your left elbow over your torso toward your right knee. To finish, he drops his torso back to center and lowers himself to the starting position.
There are several points that are important to remember when performing oblique crunches. One should strive to keep the head and neck relaxed as tension or tension can cause injury. It is often recommended to do several sets or rounds of approximately 12-16 repetitions. Also, to increase the work on the oblique muscles, it is suggested to finish the repetitions on the first side before moving on to the second side. Some, however, alternate sides with each lift.
There are numerous leg variations for the standard oblique crunch. Variations are often done to increase the difficulty of the exercise and work the other abdominal muscles while simultaneously working the obliques. One can do this by lifting the feet off the floor so that the knees are directly over the hips and the shins are parallel to the floor. An easier version uses a wall or exercise ball to keep your feet in this position.
Other variations allow for movement in the lower body and upper body. You can alternate drawing the opposite knee towards the elbow which is crossed over the body. For example, pulling the right elbow and left knee towards each other. At the same time, he could extend his right leg in a straight line and allow it to float above the floor.
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