Oblique Observations
Having a low enough body fat to even see the obliques is the first way to show them off. We all know this comes from a proper diet and exercise program. If you truly want to have your obliques pop, you need to do your work in the kitchen and the gym.
Even if you are not at a body fat level where your obliques look good, you still need to train them. The oblique family plays a major role in many different movement patterns and is an essential part of the core. These muscles need to be trained both for function and for show.
The external and internal oblique muscles rotate and side bend the trunk. These muscles also contribute to spinal stability. While the obliques help with rotation, they also help with anti-lateral flexion. You cannot simply perform rotation exercises like woodchoppers, side to side hanging leg raises and side crunches to improve their strength and function. You also need to provide rotational stresses and resist those stresses by not letting the body bend to the side or let the lumbar spine rotate. There are a select few exercises that do wonders for both the strength and appearance of the obliques.
Let’s take a look at some oblique exercises that get the job done better than traditional oblique exercise like side bends and sit-ups.
