Oblique Crunch

Oblique Crunch trains one side of the abdominal wall by curling and turning the rib cage toward the opposite hip.

Primary muscle

Abs

Primary musclesRectus abdominis

Secondary musclesInternal and external obliques, Iliopsoas

Equipment

Bodyweight

How to perform Oblique Crunch

Follow the sequence in order, paying attention to the starting position, movement path, and finish described in each step.

Lie on the back with the knees bent and rotate the pelvis or legs slightly to place one side of the waist under tension.
Place the fingertips lightly behind the head or cross the arms without pulling on the neck.
Curl and turn the rib cage so one shoulder moves toward the opposite hip while the pelvis remains supported.
Pause when the obliques shorten without yanking the elbow forward.
Lower slowly, complete the set, and repeat the same range on the other side.

Support the head lightly or cross the arms; the abdominals should move the rib cage.

Keep the arms still and let the abdominal muscles move the rib cage toward the pelvis.

Begin by bringing the ribs toward the pelvis rather than simply sitting upright with the hip flexors.

Lower the spine or torso gradually and keep tension through the longest position.

Pulling on the neck: Support the head lightly or cross the arms; the abdominals should move the rib cage.
Moving through the hips only: Begin by bringing the ribs toward the pelvis rather than simply sitting upright with the hip flexors.
Stop when the exercise produces sharp, catching, radiating, or increasing joint pain rather than the expected muscular effort.
Alternative Short-range abdominal crunch: Lift only the head and shoulder blades while the pelvis and feet remain supported.

Place Oblique Crunch after the main compound lifts, in a focused core block, or beside an exercise that does not require a fresh trunk.

Use two to four times per week while accounting for trunk work already supplied by squats, hinges, carries, and overhead lifting.

Goal	Sets	Reps or time	Rest	Effort and execution
Control / technique	2–3	5–8 reps	45–75 sec	Stop well before position changes
Strength / endurance	2–4	8–15 reps	60–90 sec	Stop while 1–3 good-form reps are still possible

Use Oblique Crunch after Barbell Back Squats, Deadlifts, or another main compound lift.
Pair it with Bird Dog or Cable Pallof Press to combine trunk flexion with stability work.

Scale the movement