Oblique Rotations

Oblique rotations are a powerful exercise for strengthening your core. They target the oblique muscles, which run along the sides of your abdomen. This move involves holding a plank position while rotating your torso from side to side. This slight twist engages your core deeply, giving you a balanced workout for both strength and stability.

Why focus on oblique exercises? Strong obliques help with everyday movements, like bending or twisting. They also support good posture and protect your lower back from strain. Oblique rotations are simple to learn but highly effective. They can add variety to your workout, keeping things fresh and exciting.

This guide will show you how to do oblique rotations with proper form. You’ll discover tips to adjust the exercise for your fitness level and learn how to include it in your routine.

How To Do

  1. Place your forearms on the ground, elbows directly under your shoulders. Keep your legs extended and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
  2. Tighten your abdominal muscles to keep your body stable. This will help you maintain balance and protect your lower back.
  3. Slowly twist your torso, dropping your right hip toward the floor. At the same time, shift your weight to your right forearm and rotate your body into a side plank position. Keep your core tight and your body aligned.
  4. Bring your torso and arm back to the forearm plank, ensuring your core remains engaged and your body stays stable.
  5. Twist your torso to the left, lowering your left hip toward the floor. Shift your weight to your left forearm, rotating into a side plank. Control the movement, avoiding any sagging or misalignment in your body.

Tips From Expert

  • In the normal plank position, there should be a straight line from your head to your heels. This ensures a stable body position to maintain balance.
  • Keep your core engaged throughout the movement. This helps keep balance as you bring your arm up.
  • Ensure your hands are directly underneath your shoulders before moving. This limits potential shoulder stress and injury.
  • Make sure your head moves naturally with your arm as you reach up.
  • Stop when your arm reaches vertical to prevent over-rotating.
  • Keep on the balls of your feet throughout the exercise.
  • Use a slow, controlled movement pattern, allowing your core to do most of the work.

Optimal Sets and Reps

The number of sets and reps for oblique rotations will vary depending on your training goals. Follow these guidelines:

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 3–4 12–20
Power Training 3–5 1–3 (Explosive)
Optimal Sets & Reps of Oblique Rotations

How to Put in Your Workout Split

Oblique rotations are an excellent core exercise that targets the side abdominal muscles, adding balance and stability to your workout. This move strengthens the core while improving rotational power and posture, making it beneficial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike.

Here’s how to incorporate oblique rotations into various workout splits:

  • Core-Focused Days: Include oblique rotations as a main exercise in your core routine. Combine them with planks, Russian twists, or leg raises to work the entire core, focusing especially on the obliques.
  • Full-Body Workouts: Perform oblique rotations at the beginning of your workout to activate your core and prepare it for compound movements. This ensures your core is engaged but not overly fatigued for the rest of the session.
  • Upper-Lower Split: Add oblique rotations on upper-body days. They complement upper-body work by providing a strong core foundation, which benefits movements like rows and presses.

Loading Guidance: For strength, perform slow, controlled rotations, holding each twist for 2–3 seconds to increase muscle engagement. For hypertrophy, focus on a slow, deliberate squeeze at the end of each twist, emphasizing tension for 10–12 reps. For endurance, maintain a steady pace with higher reps (15–20 per side) to build stamina. For power, use a quick, explosive twist on each side, returning to the center with control to build rotational strength.

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Primary Muscle Groups

Obliques

Muscles located on the sides of your rectus abdominals. Runs on the sides of your trunk.

Obliques

Oblique rotations are highly effective for activating and strengthening the oblique muscles. These muscles, located on the sides of your abdomen, play a key role in twisting and stabilizing the torso.

Maximum voluntary contraction, or MVC, measures the peak effort a muscle can produce during activation. During side planks, the obliques can reach activation levels of up to 107% MVC for the internal obliques. External obliques can activate up to 72% MVC. Oblique rotations combine dynamic twisting with a side plank hold, maximizing oblique engagement by blending isometric and rotational challenges.

This dual-action movement strengthens the core, improves stability, and enhances rotational power, making it valuable to any workout routine.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Gluteus

Large, superficial muscles located at your buttocks just below your lower back area.

Quadriceps

Muscles located at the front portion of your upper legs, below your pelvis and above your knees. Consists of four parts.

Erector Spinae

Muscles that span the entire length of your spine on either side.

Serratus Anterior

Small, fan shaped muscle that lies deep under your chest and scapula.

Upper Rectus Abdominis

Muscles located just below the lower chest and above the lower abdominals. Between your ribs and pubic bone.

Lower Rectus Abdominis

Muscles located below your upper abs and above your public bone between your ribs.

Iliopsoas

Muscles starting at your back, moving through your pelvis connecting just below your groin.

Anterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region

Upper Rectus Abdominis And Lower Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis, often called the six-pack muscle, supports torso stabilization during oblique rotations. This exercise begins in a plank, activating the rectus abdominis at up to 46%–48% of its maximum voluntary contraction.

Both the upper and lower sections engage to maintain proper alignment and prevent sagging during the movement. The lower rectus abdominis activates more as the hips rotate, while the upper portion helps stabilize the chest. This coordinated engagement ensures a strong, stable core throughout the exercise.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae muscles run along the spine, helping to keep the back straight during oblique rotations. These muscles stabilize the torso, preventing the lower back from sagging or arching excessively.

They also support rotational control, ensuring smooth movement during each twist. While not the primary target, their activation is essential for maintaining proper form and protecting the spine.

Anterior Deltoid

The anterior deltoid, located on the front of the shoulder, plays a stabilizing role during oblique rotations. It helps maintain the plank position by supporting the forearm and shoulder joints. This muscle works isometrically (without changing length) to prevent arm fatigue and keep the upper body steady.

While the anterior deltoid isn’t the focus, its endurance is crucial for sustaining form during extended repetitions or holds.

Gluteus

The gluteus muscles play a crucial role in stabilizing the body during oblique rotations. They engage to keep the hips steady while you rotate and hold the plank position, preventing sagging and maintaining alignment.

Strong glutes enhance posture, alleviate back pain, and improve overall movement quality. Activating the glutes helps oblique rotations ensure balanced load distribution, better stability, and reduced injury risk throughout the exercise.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps, located at the front of the thighs, assist in stabilizing the legs during oblique rotations. They maintain tension to keep the knees extended and support the lower body’s alignment in the plank position.

Proper activation of the quadriceps prevents your hips from dropping and ensures a strong foundation for the rotational movement. Their role remains essential for supporting proper form and maintaining balance during the exercise.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior, positioned along the sides of the chest, supports scapular (shoulder blade) stability during oblique rotations. This muscle engages to stabilize the shoulders, ensuring smooth transitions and preventing strain.

During a standard plank, the serratus anterior activation is reported at 74.57%, highlighting its crucial role in maintaining shoulder alignment. It helps sustain a strong plank position while reducing the risk of upper-body fatigue.

Consistent activation of the serratus anterior improves shoulder endurance and supports proper form, especially during extended sets of oblique rotations.

Iliopsoas

The iliopsoas, a key hip flexor, plays a foundational role in oblique rotations. It helps anchor the hips, enabling controlled and fluid movements during each rotation. This muscle works in harmony with the core and lower body to maintain stability and alignment.

Its activation may be less prominent than other muscles. However, the iliopsoas is essential for smooth transitions and efficient motion, making it a subtle yet vital contributor.

Equipment

Bodyweight

Bodyweight

Requires bodyweight resistance and additional equipment for proper execution.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Russian Twist

Side Plank

Plank Shoulder Tap

Bicycle Crunch

Standing Oblique Crunches

Seated Spinal Twist

Dynamic Plank

Side Plank Hip Raise

T Push-Up

Twisted Mountain Climber

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Renegade Rows

Who Should Do?

Athletes

Athletes involved in sports like tennis, golf, or baseball benefit greatly from oblique rotations. These movements enhance rotational power, improving performance in sports requiring twisting or turning. A strong core provides stability during rapid movements, helping maintain balance and control. 

Core training for athletes significantly improves core endurance and balance, which are essential for maintaining control during dynamic actions. 

Oblique rotations reinforce the muscles supporting the spine, creating a solid foundation for generating power and precision. This exercise is crucial for athletes aiming to elevate performance and prevent injuries.

Fitness Enthusiasts

Fitness enthusiasts of all levels can benefit from oblique rotations, as they are a practical and versatile core exercise. These movements enhance core stability and strength, essential for maintaining balance and supporting proper movement during workouts and daily activities. 

Strengthening the core also reduces the risk of injury and improves functional fitness, making everyday tasks easier. By focusing on controlled rotational movement, oblique rotations activate key muscles like the obliques, rectus abdominis, and erector spinae. 

This exercise provides a foundation for better stability, enabling fitness enthusiasts to perform other exercises with greater efficiency and confidence.

Who Should Not Do?

People With Lower Back Issues

People with lower back pain or spinal injuries should avoid oblique rotations, as the twisting motion creates uneven pressure on the spine. 

This can aggravate conditions like herniated discs, where the gel-like center of a disc pushes out and irritates surrounding nerves. It may also worsen sciatica, leading to pain and inflammation along the sciatic nerve. 

These movements can intensify discomfort and delay recovery. Consulting a physical therapist is recommended to determine suitability for core exercises. Alternatives like modified planks or bird-dog exercises may help strengthen the core without placing strain on the lower back.

Those With Shoulder Or Elbow Injuries

Oblique rotations start in a forearm plank position, placing weight on the shoulders and elbows. This pressure can aggravate injuries like rotator cuff tears or elbow joint issues, making the exercise unsuitable for recovery. 

The added twisting motion increases stress on already weakened areas, potentially slowing healing. 

Modifying the exercise to reduce twisting or choosing safer alternatives such as side-lying clams or glute bridges strengthens the core. Always consult a professional to ensure movements are safe and pain-free for your condition.

Benefits Of The Oblique Rotations

Enhances Core Stability

Oblique rotations are excellent for improving core stability, which is essential for maintaining balance and supporting the spine. Strengthening the core ensures better control during movements, reducing the risk of injury and supporting overall back health. 

Starting in a plank position, this exercise builds on the benefits of planks. It enhances core endurance and stability while adding dynamic movement for rotational strength.

For individuals with lower back pain, core stability exercises are more effective than general exercise. They decrease pain and improve back-specific functional status, offering significant relief and support. 

By targeting the obliques and other stabilizing muscles, oblique rotations help build a strong foundation. This overall enhances movement efficiency in daily activities and workouts.

Improves Functional Movement

The twisting motion in oblique rotations mimics movements often performed in daily life, such as turning, reaching, or bending. Strengthening the obliques improves rotational power and control, which are essential for functional fitness. 

Stronger obliques enhance torso and pelvis rotation, enabling smoother, more efficient movement patterns. This helps with tasks like lifting, carrying, or twisting, making them easier and safer. 

By connecting the upper and lower body through core engagement, oblique rotations train the body to function as a unit. This functional strength reduces strain risk and promotes better mobility, making it ideal for real-world activities.

Better Balance And Posture

Oblique rotations engage the core and stabilizing muscles, helping to maintain proper alignment during movement. These exercises improve postural stability by strengthening the muscles that support the spine, reducing the possibility of overcompensation from weaker areas. 

Better neuromuscular control of core and postural stability enhances balance and allows for more efficient movements. This stronger foundation is essential for standing, walking, or exercising with greater control. 

By targeting the obliques and surrounding muscles, oblique rotations also improve body awareness. This helps maintain a steady base and avoid unnecessary strain during workouts and daily activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are oblique rotations good for?

Oblique rotations strengthen the oblique muscles, improve core stability, and enhance rotational strength. They also support better posture and functional movement, making them useful for athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts.

What is the difference between a plank and a plank twist?

A plank focuses on isometric core stability by holding a static position. A plank twist adds rotational movement, targeting the obliques for dynamic core engagement.

Do plank twists give you a smaller waist?

Plank twists don’t directly make your waist smaller but strengthen the obliques, improving core stability. Fat loss, which affects waist size, depends on a proper diet, regular exercise, and consistency over time.

How many oblique rotations should I do?

It depends on your goals and fitness level. Start with 10–15 repetitions per side, focusing on proper form. Consider how long you should hold a plank to build core endurance for this exercise.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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