These three best weighted oblique exercises will help you develop the much-desired v-cut abs look.
The obliques are the muscles to the side of your abs. They run from below your chest to the top of your hips in two long vertical lines.
They are formed by two abdominal muscles, the external and internal obliques, and allow you to turn and rotate your trunk, spine, and core. Your obliques also support your back and overall posture.
By training them weighted you can expose the muscles to progressive overload, which in turn will make them stronger and bigger.
This workout which includes three important weighted oblique exercises is a great place to start if you want to train your core muscles.
3 Best Weighted Oblique Exercises
As always, remember that your abs and obliques will only show if you’ve got a low enough body fat percentage. While growing your muscles will help the v-cut abs pop, it’s generally best to start with a good nutrition plan.
Windshield Wipers
This is an advanced bodyweight abs exercise and, as such, should be scaled if you are only starting out or don’t have enough strength.
Dumbbell Side Bends
Use a pretty heavy dumbbell for this weighted oblique exercise. Importantly, use only one dumbbell so you don’t offset the weight you are lifting.
Side Plank Hip Dips
With a lighter dumbbell, get into a high side plank position and hip your hips towards the ground. It’s important you rest on your hand, not your elbow, so you can get your hips a lot further down.
Put it all together in an oblique workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Windshield Wipers | 3 sets | 8 reps (each side) |
| Dumbbell Side Bends | 3 sets | 8 reps (each side) |
| Side Plank Hip Dips | 3 sets | 8 reps (each side) |
Read more: 12 Weird Core Exercises for an Amazing Six-Pack
Image Sources
- Abs in swimming pool: John Fornander / Unsplash