Oblique Crunches
The Oblique Crunches isolates the Abdominals through a controlled range of motion. This beginner-level body only exercise builds focused strength where compound movements often fall short.
Starting position
Ending position
Muscles Worked
The abdominals handles the primary load during this movement. This isolation movement keeps tension concentrated on a single muscle group.
How to Oblique Crunches
- 1
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put one hand beside your head and the other to the side against the floor.
- 2
Make sure your feet are elevated and resting on a flat surface.
- 3
Now lift the shoulder in which your hand is touching your head.
- 4
Simply elevate your shoulder and body upward until you touch your knee. For example, if you have your right hand besides your head, then you want to elevate your body upwards until your right elbow touches your left knee. The same variation can be applied doing the inverse and using your left elbow to touch your right knee.
- 5
After your knee touches your elbow, lower your body until you have reached the starting position.
- 6
Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (upward) part of the exercise.
- 7
Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.
Common Mistakes
- • Focus on the mind-muscle connection — feel the target muscle working through each rep.
- • Use a controlled tempo of 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down to eliminate momentum.
- • If reps become too easy, slow the tempo or add a pause at the hardest point rather than rushing through more reps.
- • Squeeze at peak contraction for a full second — this is where most of the growth stimulus occurs.
Similar Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the Oblique Crunches work?
The Oblique Crunches primarily targets the Abdominals. It's an effective isolation exercise for building abdominals strength.
Is the Oblique Crunches good for beginners?
Yes, the Oblique Crunches is suitable for beginners. Start with light weight to master the 7-step form before adding load.
What equipment do I need for the Oblique Crunches?
You need no equipment — just your bodyweight to perform the Oblique Crunches. This makes it ideal for home workouts.
Track Your Progress
RepStack logs every set, calculates your e1RM, and coaches progressive overload — automatically.