Obliques
Exercises that target the obliques, grouped by whether they stretch or strengthen it.
The obliques are the diagonal abdominal muscles on the sides of the trunk — the external and internal obliques layered over each other. They bend the trunk sideways, rotate it, and work with the deeper core to brace the spine and control the pelvis.
When the obliques and the rest of the abdominal wall are weak or poorly coordinated, the low back and pelvis lose lateral and rotational control, which shows up in posture as excessive arching, a tilted pelvis, or poor trunk stability during single-leg tasks.
They respond to controlled anti-rotation and side-bending work — think slow, well-braced rotations and side planks — rather than fast twisting. Explore the core and trunk exercises for progressions.
