Oblique Exercises

Submitted by Kevin Pederson on February 17, 2012

The side obliques can be described as the muscles that are present on the sides of the upper body, which assist people in turning from one side to the other. People have two sets of obliques, known as the external and the internal obliques. Each set of side obliques contracts in a different manner, while moving from one side to the other, or twisting around.

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The infamous "love handles" also develop on this area of the body and people, especially women have to work extremely hard in order to get rid of them. Fortunately, there are certain good exercises for women to target the side obliques, which can help them get rid of the extra fat that accumulates quite easily on the sides. These exercises should be a part of a side obliques women workout routine and should be practiced on a regular basis in order to be effective.


Good exercises for women to target the side obliques

Many women have tried sets of crunches and sit ups to lose their love handles, but have faced disappointment. This is because sit ups and crunches involve an up and down movement, not the twisting movement which is what is really required. There are several side obliques girl exercises regularly practiced by several women, especially sportswomen, like tennis players, ice skaters, runners, golf players and so on. One of the most common exercises, which should be a part of every side obliques women fitness program, is the floor bicycle exercise.

Given below are the steps for performing this exercise:

  • Lie down on a flat surface, with the legs straight ahead and the hands resting behind the head
  • Raise the upper body a bit and contract the tummy muscles, lifting one leg and bending it at the knee
  • Touch the elbow of one arm to the opposite knee just to a point
  • Return to the starting point and repeat the exercise with the other arm & knee

Other good exercises for women to target the side obliques are obliques twists, side bridges, cable side bends, ball side bends (or crunches), dumbbell side bends.

It is strongly recommended that women should consult a fitness expert or even a doctor, before practicing any of the exercises side obliques women stretches. This is more important for those women who are suffering from any preexisting medical condition. It is also a good idea to consult a fitness expert for tips on additional good exercises for women to target the side obliques. In fact, it is best to practice any exercise under the supervision and the guidance of a fitness expert, in order to avoid any injuries.

Anybody who has tried to lose weight from the midsection knows that love handles are the most difficult place to lose fat from. Crunches can help you effectively target your abs, and reverse crunches can help to tighten the lower abdomen; but what about those irritating rolls of fat that stick out from your sides?

Sure you can do crunches that target your obliques, the muscles that run down the side of the abdomen, but oblique crunches are not easy. So, is there an easier and more effective solution to target your obliques and get rid of those irritating love handles? Yoga could be the key. Yoga provides you with a safe and effective way to target your oblique muscles. Let's take a look at some of the good oblique exercises that you can easily do at home.

Pawana Mukta Asana or the Wind Relieving Posture: So called because it helps to dispel gas from the body, the Pawana Mukta Asana also tones your abdominal muscles. This posture also provides your back with a nice, invigorating stretch, and also massages the internal organs situated in your abdominal cavity. The gentle twisting action of this posture also helps to tone your obliques.

The Ardha Matsyendra Asana or Half Spinal Twist Pose: Although it may seem a bit complicated to those who are new to yoga, the Ardha Matsyendra Asana, is one of the best postures to remove kinks from your back. It is also one of the best exercises for your obliques. In terms of a twisting action for the obliques, this yoga posture beats all other exercises hollow. If that's not enough, this exercise also massages the internal organs and helps improve their efficiency.

Trikona Asana or the Triangle Pose: The Trikona Asana is another very effective asana that helps to target the oblique abdominal muscles. This is one of the basic standing yoga exercises, and is used in some variation or the other in almost all forms of stretching exercises. In fact, if you've taken gym classes at school, chances are that you've already performed this asana.

Jathara Parivartanasana or the Revolved Abdomen Pose: Another excellent yoga posture that directly targets your oblique muscles is the Jathara Parivartanasana. This is a supine stretching exercise that is performed while you are lying on your back. There are various modifications to this asana that can be used to adjust its level of difficulty. You can choose to use this exercise as a relaxing stretch for your torso, or as a hardcore exercise that directly targets your oblique muscles.

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