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abdominals

Oblique Crunch

A crunch where you bring one shoulder toward the opposite knee, working the muscles at the sides of your stomach.

beginnermat

Oblique Crunch, start position
START
Oblique Crunch, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Find a flat spot.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
  2. Put your hands lightly behind your head.
  3. Press your lower back gently into the floor.

Check: Your knees are bent, your feet are flat, and your lower back is touching the floor.

Curl and twist

  1. Curl your head and shoulders up and turn your right shoulder toward your left knee.
  2. Hold for a second with your shoulder blades off the floor.

Check: Your shoulder blades are off the floor and your right shoulder points toward your left knee; your hips have not moved.

Lower slowly

  1. Lower slowly back to the floor.

Check: Your shoulders are back on the floor.

That is one rep. Do all the reps to one side, then the other, or alternate.

Breathe out as you curl up in about 1 second; pause; breathe in as you lower over 2 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Oblique Crunch: muscles worked, front view
Oblique Crunch: muscles worked, back view

obliques

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES2
  • Pulling the head across with the hands. Fix: Keep the hands light; turn from the ribs.
  • Swinging the elbow across instead of turning the shoulder. Fix: Keep your elbows wide and turn your whole upper body.
SAFETY1
  • Stop if your neck hurts.
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: crunch

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