Twisting Oblique Crunch

Twisting Oblique Crunch Basics

Primary Muscles Worked: Obliques

Synergist Muscles: Transversus and Rectus Abdominus

Mechanics: Isolation

Equipment: Open Floor Space

How To Perform Twisting Oblique Crunches

• Lay with back flat on the floor or a mat, with your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.

• Bring one foot off of the floor and place it against your opposite knee. Your ankle should rest just below the knee joint. The knee of the crossed foot should be pointed away from your body.

• Take the opposite hand, of the ankle you used to cross the knee, and place it behind your head so that your palm is touching the head. Place your other hand against the side of your body. This is the initial position for the twisting oblique crunch.

• Crunch up off of the mat and rotate your body so that your elbow moves toward your knee that is facing away from the body.

• Touch your elbow to the knee and return to the starting position.

• Continue performing the exercise until you have completed your desired number of reps and repeat on the other side by the crossed ankle-knee and changing which hand is behind the head.

Twisting Oblique Crunch Tips

• Don't pull your head with your hand as you crunch up off of the floor. This will reduce the effectiveness of targeting the oblique muscles and put excess strain on your neck. If the move is too difficult, develop more abdominal strength with easier exercises so that you can perform the exercise without pulling on the head.

• You may not always be able to get your elbow to your knee depending on your body type and limb length; however, the knee should act as an aiming point for your elbow. Make sure to crunch and twist until you feel the muscles in the obliques working before you return to the starting position if you can't get your elbow to your knee.

Twisting Oblique Crunch and Sports Application

Since the twisting oblique crunch targets the obliques, sports that require a forceful twisting motion at the waist can benefit from integrating this exercise into their core training program. The rotation for the exercise also comes across the body, so twisting motions where the arms of equipment come across the body will probably see the most benefit. The hook, in boxing, is a primary example of the twisting motion across the body. Other examples include batting in baseball, shooting or passing in lacrosse, and throwing a football.