A side-focused crunch that curls the upper torso toward the hip, emphasizing the oblique abdominal muscles.
How to do the Oblique Crunch#
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat; place your hands lightly behind your head or across your chest.
- Rotate your torso and lift one shoulder blade toward the opposite hip by contracting the oblique on that side.
- Exhale as you curl upward, keeping the motion controlled and your lower back in contact with the floor.
- Inhale and slowly lower the shoulder blade back down until it nearly touches the floor.
- Repeat for the desired reps, then switch sides.
Muscles worked#
Common mistakes#
- Pulling on the neck with your hands.
- Using momentum or jerking the torso instead of a controlled contraction.
- Allowing the lower back to arch off the floor.
- Twisting the hips instead of rotating the torso.
