FitSugar

6 Hard-Core Obliques Moves

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:35:00 PDT

For better posture, lower-back support, and to avoid back pain, it's important to strengthen and tone your obliques (side abdominal muscles). We've compiled six hard-core exercises to train and tone this region. Remember that quality is better than quantity. Start with five solid reps and work your way up to 10 or more.

Trim the Fat: 3 Moves to Slim the Obliques

Michele Bell — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 06:30:57 PST

We must, we must, we must decrease our guts. If one of your New Year's resolutions is to minimize the size of your love handles and to tighten the obliques, I've got a few moves for you. These three simple steps require a little effort, small weights, and just a few minutes of your time.

Flickr user Pink Sherbert Photography

RX For Love Handles: Add a Twist to Your Plank

Michele Bell — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:00:32 PST

Are you falling out of love with your love handles? One of the secrets to trimming down the waistline is toning up those obliques. Thanks to the slim and trim Joy Bauer, I learned a new move that left my sides begging for a breather. A bit challenging on the body, it's an easy enough motion to learn and definitely gives the obliques a run for the money, which means your belts and slim fitting dresses will be thanking you.

To see how to do the exercise, just

Assess Your Ab Work

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:47:59 PDT

Countless crunches and multiple sets of Russian twists might tone your abs, but they're not so great for your back. Not only that, but they aren't functional movement, meaning the strength gained in these exercises won't really help you outside the gym. Repeatedly rounding the spine in a crunch or full sit-up sets the stage for a disk injury. Repeatedly twisting, especially if your abs are weak, also puts stress on the spine.

The safest and most effective way to work your abs is to use them to stabilize your torso against motions. The elbow plank is the perfect beginner ab exercise, since it works the extensor muscles, which line and stabilize the spine, in combination with the abs. Adding leg lifts to your plank, while keeping the pelvis and ribs stable, will take the plank to the next level. Working with free weights, moving from a squat into an overhead press, will work your abs too. Work one-armed to force your obliques to kick into action.

Expand Your Core

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:30:00 PDT

I love expanding my horizons and when I read a new expanded definition of the core, I was quite pleased. I generally think of the core as the abs, pelvic floor and muscles on either side of the spine. According to sports medicine specialist Vijay Vad the core is not limited to the area around your belly button, but is really everything between your "nipples and your knees."

The abs, especially the deep abs, the pelvic floor and the muscles on either side of the spine all work to stabilize the low back (lumbar spine) and the pelvis. All the thigh muscles, which attach to the pelvis, can seriously affect the alignment of the pelvis. Tight hamstrings or tight quads are often the culprit, so keeping flexible legs is vital to the health of your core. Another important muscular component is keeping the obliques, the abdominal muscles you work in the bicycle move, strong as well. They help keep the rib cage aligned over the pelvis. If the rib cage gets out of alignment the low back becomes vulnerable to injury too.

From now on, when challenging your core think about connecting your torso all the way from your nipples to your knees!

Short, Sweet and Complete Abdominal Workout Video

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 14:35:00 PST

How about those abs? If you are bored with your ab routine, or if you neglect your middle, here's a workout for you to try.

This video is made for you to play while you do the exercise. Think of it as a quick little workout with a voice leading you along and a counter in the lower lefthand corner counting down your reps.

So don't just watch. Watch and do. Then be sure to work your abs at three days a week. Your belly will thank you for all the attention.

For a few tips, just

You want to make sure you are working your deep abs the entire time. So focus on pulling your navel to your spine.
To keep tension out of your neck when doing crunches, think of holding an orange between your chin and your chest. Don't juice the orange, but don't drop it either.
When performing toe taps and heel taps, keep the torso and pelvis totally still. Use your abs to do this.
Have fun with the Hip Ups, but remember to control the motion and really scoop out your low belly.
When twisting to work your obliques, isolate the movement to just the rib cage. Don't move your low back.

Let Pilates Move You: Twisted Obliques

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:32:00 PST

If your abdominal strengthening routine is feeling stale, why not put a twist on it?

This variation on the basic "sit-up" targets the obliques. Try it at home or the gym soon and let us know what you think of it.

Move 1) Lie on your back with bent knees and twist both legs to the left until your legs are on the floor. Bend elbows and interlace fingers behind your head. Really cradle and support your head.

Move 2) Exhale pulling your deep abs in to your spine, lift your head and upper back off the floor using your abdominals. Keep your shoulders square to the ceiling because it's so easy to cheat. Really focus on your left shoulder coming off the floor as much as the right one by actively reaching it towards your right hip.

Inhale and slowly lower your head. Repeat 9 more times before switching sides.

Fit’s tip: It is good to stretch your spine and obliques before doing the sit ups. To stretch, lie in the twisted position from "Move 1", but reach your arms straight out to the side and rest them on the floor. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds on each side.

To see how not to do this exercise

View 1 Photos ›

Tone Your Middle With the Kettlebell Windmill

Susi May — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:27:14 PST

Swinging kettlebells around at the gym makes me feel like a super toughie. But I do love the sassy feeling I get doing slow and controlled windmills, a move I just learned from my Equinox trainer Lauren. Like most kettlebell moves, this is a full-body exercise, but the work is at your waist, toning the obliques and stretching the sides of the torso. The shoulders and arms are worked nicely, too.

If you're a beginner, try this exercise with no weights. Once you feel familiar with the sequence, add one five-pound dumbbell into the mix, holding the weight in the hand that remains held above the head. When you're ready, progress to using a set of four-kilogram (8.8 pounds) kettlebells.

Start toning your love handles now; bikini season is right around the corner.

Work Your Waist With Woodchoppers

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:50:54 PDT

The woodchopper is a fave exercise among trainers everywhere - Gunnar Peterson calls it his fave core exercise - and my Equinox trainer is a fan of the move too. Woodchoppers really work the abs but target the obliques, helping you to tone your muffin top. But unlike the static plank, woodchoppers target your middle while your middle is in motion, making this move a serious function fitness maneuver. Grab a five to 10 pound medicine ball and get ready to learn the basics.

Start with the feet a little wider than hip distance apart, keeping the knees slightly bent.
Bend your elbows bringing the ball to your left shoulder.
Pull your abs into your spine to stabilize your center.

On an exhale, bring the ball down diagonally across your body toward your right knee. Imagine you're chopping some wood at this angle and the ball is your axe - the move is a bit percussive.
Don't twist through your knees, but really rotate through the trunk.
Control the ball back up to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Remember you are moving with force, but control. Don't give into the momentum of swinging the ball around.

Do 15 reps each side to complete a set. Lauren always makes me do three sets, so I think you should do that too.

Hilary Duff's High-Energy Prenatal Piloxing Workout

Self — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:39:32 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Some women may take it easy during their last trimester, but Hilary Duff isn't the type to let her workouts slide just because she's eating for two. The singer-actress may be seven months pregnant, but according to her trainer of eight years, Vivica Jensen, she's still staying fit with biweekly Piloxing sessions. "Piloxing is the first fitness program that blends the best of Pilates, boxing, and dance into a high-energy, hour-long interval workout," says Jensen, who created the hybrid class. "I put a lot of focus into balance and alignment, which can be thrown off when you're pregnant. You also get a great cardio workout, and the boxing element tones your arms and legs."

Although Jensen has tweaked Duff's workouts to accommodate her pregnancy, she's quick to point out that the mom-to-be is no slouch in the gym. "Since Hilary was already in good shape, she's able to do everything but at her own pace with a few modifications like taking more breaks to drink water and catch her breath when her heart rate goes up and not doing advanced ab exercises," says Jensen.

As her due date draws near, the former Lizzie McGuire star is also preparing her body for the hardships of labor. That means plenty of arm, leg, chest, and core exercises. "For now, I'm focusing on her core muscles because I want those muscles intact so she has an easier delivery," says Jensen. Just don't expect Mrs. Comrie to stay bedridden for very long since "Hilary loves being healthy and has always been very active. Once she gets the OK from her doctor, we're really going to kick it up a notch," says Jensen. "She's tough with amazing form, so I'm able to work her hard and really kick her butt!"

Want to stay fit throughout all nine months of your pregnancy (or even if you're not eating for two!)? Incorporate four moves into your regular workout routine to get buff like Duff. Read on for the moves.