These oblique exercises can help you go from a six pack to a 10 pack.
The oblique muscles are one of the most underappreciated and hardest to develop muscle groups. You're well aware of the diets, exercises, and workout routines required to achieve a good six pack. The first step is to have a low enough body fat percentage to view your ab muscles. That's where a well-balanced diet and exercise routine can help. However, if you genuinely want your side muscles to burst, you should begin doing oblique exercises.
Even if you don't have enough body fat to make your obliques seem decent, you should still work on them. The oblique muscle group is an important aspect of the core and plays a key role in a variety of movement patterns. These muscles must be strengthened in order to perform daily tasks.
The trunk is rotated and side bent by the external and internal oblique muscles. Spinal stability, hip rotation, and anti-lateral flexion are all aided by the core muscles. To enhance their strength and function, you can't just do rotation exercises like woodchoppers, side to side hanging leg lifts, and side crunches. You must also offer rotational stresses and resist them by avoiding bending to the side or allowing the lumbar spine to rotate. Only a few exercises can significantly improve the strength and appearance of the obliques.
Let's look at some oblique workouts that are more effective than standard oblique exercises like side bends and sit-ups.
Plank on the side
The side plank is an excellent way to work the lateral core stabilizers like the oblique. Instead of doing side bends, do a side plank row. The anti-lateral flexion muscles of the lateral core stability muscles are not designed to bend side to side. It also allows us to practice each side in the opposite direction, which helps to correct muscular imbalances. While simply holding a plank is good, adding dynamic motions enhances the benefits. To boost the anti-rotary tension effect and difficulty, try adding a cable or band row.
Simply take a side plank posture a few feet distant from a cable equipment or a place where a band can be attached. Perform a rowing/pulling motion while maintaining a neutral spine (a perfect side plank position).
Farmers Carry
Grab a dumbbell or a kettlebell that would be difficult to carry for around 40 yards in one hand. While walking that distance, make sure to maintain excellent posture at all times. Repeat with the other hand. The opposite side core is attempting to dynamically stabilize the spine while you hold the weight and move with it, which is why this works so well.It's easy to see why carrying that luggage through the airport with one hand is so difficult. Like a plank, those deep core muscles must stabilize and work to support your body. By far the most useful sort of plank for improving dynamic stability is the suitcase carry. Give it a try, and you'll notice the results in no time. Don't be surprised if you wake up with sore obliques the next day.
Pressing of Cables
Many trainers have discovered the benefits of this exercise as an anti-rotation exercise, which has helped it gain popularity. But I can see how the oblique group would gain as well. This exercise can be done on one knee, both knees, or standing. Neutral posture, core tension, and holding the press-out are all important considerations. Don't go too fast, and feel each rep's contraction.
Anti-Rotation Landmines
This exercise will strengthen your entire core, but your oblique muscles will take a battering. If you don't have any landmine equipment with a handle, a barbell in a corner of the room will suffice. The trick to this exercise is to keep your hips stationary while drawing a half moon shape with the bar. As you perform the movement, brace your entire body and do not move anything other than your arms.
Ab Wheel Rollout from Side to Side
Anti-extension motions that hit the anterior core (abdominal wall) strongly are known as rollout variants. Perform the movement side to side if you wish to give special attention to the obliques. I recommend starting with a rounded back and avoiding arching the back too much as you rollout, otherwise you'll feel it more in the lower-back muscles than the obliques.