Oblique Crunch
Targets your obliques; the sides of your abdominals
1. Lie on your right side on a mat with your knees bent and your legs lying on top of one another
2. Place your left hand behind your head
3. Bring your torso up by squeezing your side abs and raise your torso as high as you can and hold for a couple of seconds
4. Don’t forget to breathe in during lowering your body, and to breathe out whilst elevating your torso up
Dumbbell side bend
By holding a dumbbell in one hand, this increases the resistance placed upon your obliques
1. Stand up straight whilst holding a dumbbell in one hand – keep your feet at shoulder width
2. Maintain a straight back, and bend at the waist as far down on the side holding the dumbbell – breathe in as you bend to the side
3. Hold for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position
One-arm med ball slam
This exercise engages the fast-twitch muscle fibres of your obliques
1. Stand up straight with one foot slightly in front of the other and with a medicine ball in one hand on the same side as the back leg
2. Raise the medicine ball above and slightly behind your head and extend through the hips, knees and ankles
3. At maximum extension, thrust forward the shoulders, spine and hips to throw the ball directly in front of you
4. Attempt to catch the ball on it’s bounce and repeat
Gym ball oblique crunch
The use of a gym ball permits a much greater range of motion to work your muscles and also activates your core muscles to stabilise your body
1. Lie on your side on the gym ball with your hip resting on the top of the gym ball
2. Rest either hand on each side of your head, with your elbows bent
3. Raise your torso so that it’s upright and keep your back straight
4. Use your obliques to lift the side of your torso towards the side of your hip
