Obliques, like the rest of the muscles of the core, are important for everyday movements. “If you look at the anatomy of the obliques, as far as where they attach on the pelvis and rib cage, they’re involved in the stabilization of the pelvis, so it’s important to make sure they’re strong and they’re working as they should,” says Rondel King, CSCS, a corrective exercise specialist and personal trainer in New York City. “They make for a strong core, which provides stability throughout the entire movement system.” According to ACE, your oblique muscles allow you to bend over and twist your body from side to side. Sculpting a strong core isn’t just about making your midsection look trimmer — strengthening these muscles helps promote better posture, balance, and coordination; reduce the risk of injuries; and improves fitness and athletic performance, according to Marshfield Clinic Health System. To strengthen your obliques, you’ll likely be strengthening other muscles in the process (like the rest of the core muscles), helping with mobility and overall functioning. RELATED: Why Strength Training Is So Important for Your Health and Fitness Developing a strong core (obliques included) also seems to be crucial for low-back health. A March 2015 review published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science concluded that core strength training can alleviate low back pain. A strong core also protects your spine, according to the ACE. RELATED: The Best Exercises for a Stronger Back That You Can Do at Home
How to Do Oblique-Strengthening Exercises
Even though the usual recommendation is to strength-train two to three times per week, King says: “You can actually do oblique-strengthening exercises every single day and not overtrain.” It’s rare that you’ll tire out the abdominal muscles so much that you need a recovery day, he notes. RELATED: How Much Exercise Is Enough? Brooke McManus, a certified personal trainer and yoga teacher based in Denver, outlined the eight top exercises for oblique muscles below. Do these moves for 30 to 45 seconds each with no more than 30 seconds of rest in between. Repeat for a total of two or three rounds, she says. McManus recommends doing the following set of exercises three to five times per week by adding them onto another workout to get noticeably stronger muscles. RELATED: Exercise: The Ultimate Guide to Working Out
