Doing core work is satisfying in part because of the burning feeling you get in your ab muscles, but it's also important for so many reasons. Building a strong, stable core helps with your overall strength and mobility, as well as preventing injury and reducing pain, including lower-back pain. And that core umbrella includes your internal and external obliques, the muscles that wrap around either side of your abdominal area. These muscles are responsible for bending your torso forward and sideways, rotating your torso, and helping provide stability for your hips and lower back.
Classic ab moves like planks and crunches will slightly activate your obliques, but they don't put the majority of the focus on these muscles. To specifically target both your internal and external obliques, your best bet is to pick specific moves designed for that purpose. And we've got 12 oblique exercises that work those muscles — as well as other important parts of your core, including your transverse abdominis (your deep core) and your rectus abdominis (the muscles along the front of your stomach). In all, these oblique exercises will help you create a powerful core so you can move more efficiently.
We included bodyweight oblique exercises and weighted oblique exercises, as well as oblique exercises for beginners and more advanced oblique exercises, so there's something for everyone. You can add one or two of these oblique exercises into your next workout, or use the list to put together an oblique-focused ab circuit. To do that, just pick three of these oblique exercises; do each one for 30 seconds, repeating on both sides if needed; and do three rounds, resting as needed between rounds. We promise, you'll be feeling the burn the next day.
— Additional reporting by Dominique Michelle Astorino, Maggie Ryan, and Mirel Zaman
This twisted crunch places more of the work on your oblique muscles instead of your rectus abdominis, which run up the front and center of your abs.
The dead bug is a classic core-strengthening exercise, and it recruits your obliques as well as your deep core muscles.
This classic oblique exercise works all of your abdominal muscles. Go slowly with these to maintain form. If it's too easy, add a weight (shown in the next slide). If it's too challenging, allow your heels to rest on the floor.
You may have done bicycle crunches countless times without knowing they're an oblique exercise. Focus on rotating your rib cage (not just your elbows) to make sure you're really engaging those muscles.
Side planks are a simple but essential oblique exercise for building core stability. If this is too difficult, try staggering your feet so the top foot is in front of your other foot on the floor.
Adding a hip dip makes side planks even harder and amps up the burn you feel in your obliques. Be sure to keep your chest open and try not to bend at the hips.
If this oblique exercise is too difficult, try it without a weight. You can also use a kettlebell or medicine ball instead of a dumbbell.
This move is similar to a side plank with hip dips, but keeping your knees bent makes it more beginner-friendly — while still working your obliques and deep core.
This Pilates-inspired exercise is great for all the muscles in your core, but especially your obliques. Your head and shoulders should be lifted off the mat, but avoid straining your neck.
Sometimes we end our workouts with a version of this exercise, since it provides a delicious-feeling stretch to the whole body. But adding the twisting motion into a plank — which already fires up the deep core — is a surefire way to engage your obliques.
By raising an arm and leg from the floor while in tabletop, you're intentionally throwing off your body's stability, forcing your core to work hard at keeping you steady. And your obliques take on a lot of that work.
Mountain climbers work your entire body, and pulling your knees in while maintaining a plank position will strengthen your whole core, obliques including. For even more oblique work, consider adding in a twisting modification.
Lauren Mazzo was the senior fitness editor at POPSUGAR. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist through the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining POPSUGAR, she worked for six years as a writer and editor for Shape Magazine covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty, and astrology.
Dominique Michelle Astorino enjoys sunshine and beaches, tropical escapes, pastels, and carbs.
Maggie Ryan was an assistant editor at POPSUGAR. A longtime runner and athlete, Maggie has nearly four years of experience covering topics in the wellness space, specializing in fitness, sports, nutrition, and mental health.
Mirel Zaman is the wellness director at POPSUGAR. She has 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, writing and editing articles about fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, astrology, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.