Oblique Crunches

A beginner strength exercise for the abs, with no equipment.

Movement guide

Oblique Crunches

Demand · source-assignedEasy (unreviewed)

Equipment requiredBodyweight

Muscle focusAbs

Gets into position, then repeats the movement. Technical checks passed; qualified exercise review is pending.

Watch it bigger, and flip through similar moves, in the studio.Open in the studio

Make it easier or harder

Start where you can move well, then step up.

Easier option

This is already one of the gentlest options for these muscles.

This move

Oblique Crunches demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoOblique CrunchesBeginner · No equipment

Beginner grade (source-assigned).

Harder option

Decline oblique crunch demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDecline oblique crunchIntermediate · A bench or box

Similar move, intermediate grade.

Imported reference · editorial review pending. Clinical review is pending.

This entry comes from an external exercise database. Its instructions and difficulty have not completed our editorial or qualified clinical review.

How to move

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.
Make sure your feet are elevated and resting on a flat surface.
Now lift the shoulder in which your hand is touching your head.
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.
After your knee touches your elbow, lower your body until you have reached the starting position.
Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (upward) part of the exercise.
Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

Practice and cautions

No dose has been assigned. Any timing or repetition examples in the imported instructions are source examples, not an individualized recommendation.

Imported community instructions and difficulty labels have not been independently reviewed for technique or individual suitability. Equipment labels may include additions inferred from the setup text; check the instructions for the exact support or alternatives. Stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling; seek qualified guidance for symptoms, unfamiliar equipment or advanced skills.

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Sources and review status

Sources support the educational description; they do not establish that this exercise is suitable for you.

Free Exercise DB · community text ↗
Unlicense · Free Exercise DB contributors; derived from wrkout/exercises.json. Text import; no photographs or media. · Revision f00c92c7dcf1216a928a52c3706c7ce8e2f71ed5

No variation is labeled clinically validated.

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What it works

Muscles

Main: Abs.

Equipment

None: body weight and floor space.

Level

Beginner (source-assigned, not yet reviewed). See the easier and harder options above.

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Oblique Crunches - On The Floor demonstrated on the 3D figure

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Bicycle crunch demonstrated on the 3D figure

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Bird dog, one limb at a time demonstrated on the 3D figure

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Questions people ask

What muscles does the Oblique Crunches work?

Mainly the abs.

What equipment do I need for the Oblique Crunches?

No equipment: your body weight and a little floor space.

Is the Oblique Crunches good for beginners?

It is graded beginner, so it suits most people starting out. The grade comes from the source database and has not been independently reviewed. When it feels easy, try the Decline oblique crunch.

How do I make the Oblique Crunches harder?

Progress to the Decline oblique crunch, or add load, range or slower lowering once your form is solid.