Defining your oblique muscles will give you a truly flat stomach.
Image: Getty
If your core training routines only include crunches and sit-ups, then you need to add the following exercises to define your obliques, which will give you the flattest, strongest, and most defined abdomen you've ever imagined.
The reality is that even today, many training programs still overlook the oblique muscles , and that's a big mistake. Thanks to them, we can perform strength, throwing, and rotational movements because they stabilise the torso and control pelvic tilt .
So if you want to achieve greater mobility, strength, and overall well-being, you need to give these muscles the attention they deserve, and for that you need more than the simple abdominal exercises that everyone does.
The foolproof exercise routine to define your obliques
Luckily, fitness trainer Korey Rowe (@korey.rowe) shared a workout focused exclusively on working this area of the abdomen because, as he explains in his Instagram post , “they help you rotate, bend, stabilise and control your spine. They also transmit force between your upper and lower body,” so it’s crucial that these muscles are in top condition.
With just six exercises to define your obliques, you can completely change the condition of this muscle group if you haven't paid much attention to it until now.
They're not complicated, but your range of motion might not be very extensive at first; that will improve over time. All you'll need to do them are dumbbells and a bench —though this is only for one of the exercises, so if you're training at home, you can skip it.
Your core – or central muscles of the body – will benefit greatly from this circuit and will probably help you realize whether you are really as fit as you thought, or not.
Although the trainer doesn't specify sets and reps, you should generally stick to your usual sets or, if applicable, perform three sets of 8-10 reps, which is the standard practice; however, you can adjust this to your needs. Here they are:
- Dumbbell oblique twist. Combines a lateral flexion with a rotation. The weight of the dumbbells will make you feel your obliques working.
- Dumbbell pendulum . Develops side-to-side mobility and control.
- Oblique crunch . Brings your ribs closer to your hips to strengthen your side.
- Hyperextension with lateral flexion and dumbbell. Strengthens the obliques with a deeper range of motion.
- Plank hip dips. Develops control of the pelvis, trunk, and spine.
- Russian twist + bicycle . A classic combination for core rotation and endurance.
Via GQ Mexico