Fitness From the Pro

The Oblique muscle group is part of your abdominals. The obliques are on your sides and provide you with spinal fexion, rotation, and lateral flexion. Some of you might refer to the obliques as “love handles” or “muffin tops”. As you already know, spot reduction is impossible. However, we can tighten up, build up and loosen up muscles and with cardio workouts we can reduce fat tissue so your muscles can stand out.

Here are some Oblique exercises for you to try:

CROSSOVERS:

• Lie supine and keep the low back into the mat.
• Pull belly button to your spine.
• Keep chin a fist distance away from your chest.
• Cross one leg over the other resting your shin just above the knee on the other leg.
• Hands behind your head and elbows point out to the sides.
• As you lift, reach the opposite SHOULDER to the crossed knee and exhale.
• Inhale and lie back down.
• Repeat.
• Switch legs and repeat on the other side.

BICYCLE:

• Lie supine and keep the low back into the mat.
• Pull belly button into your spine.
• Keep chin a fist distance away from your chest.
• Bend knees to 90 degrees.
• Feet off the floor.
• Hands behind your head, elbows point out to the side.
• Bring right shoulder to left knee while you extend the right leg and exhale.
• Switch and bring left shoulder to right knee extend the left leg.
• Keep repeating sides.
• The slower the exercise the more challenge it will be for your obliques.

BALL SIDE CRUNCH:

• Using a Stability Ball lie on your right side on the ball.
• Your right hip should press into the ball.
• Extend the legs in a scissor position with feet on the floor.
• Place your hands lightly behind your head with elbows pointing out to the side.
• Lift and crunch your upper body so your are bringing your ribs to your hips.
• Repeat the lifting of the upper body up and down.
• Switch sides and repeat.

You are now on your way to having tight and toned obliques.