Oblique twists: benefits and technique

Oblique abdominal crunches: benefits and contraindications

Despite the name, when performing oblique crunches, all abdominal muscles will work. The technique is quite simple and does not require any additional equipment other than a mat. The benefits of the exercise are enormous:

1. Losing weight . When the exercise is performed intensively, active fat burning occurs. The figure becomes defined and embossed in a shorter time. The tummy is always toned, the silhouette is sporty and attractive.
2. Aesthetic beauty of the body . Twisting the oblique muscles of the abdomen allows a woman to achieve the ideal of beauty - an hourglass figure. For a man, this exercise will allow him to boast an athletic figure due to his narrow waist and wide chest.
3. Positive effect on internal organs . Muscles that are always in good shape support the internal organs. Also, during the training process, blood begins to flow better to the pelvic organs, and this in turn has a positive effect on male and female health.

Despite the obvious benefits of the element, there are also some contraindications to its implementation. Persons who should handle this item with caution:

• having problems with the musculoskeletal system;
• those suffering from diseases of the abdominal cavity and pelvic organs;
• recently undergone surgery.

Content

• 1 What muscles are involved?
• 2 Technique for performing diagonal twists
• 3 Notes and implementation features
• 4 Additional materials

Double twist

Diagonal twist: video

Diagonal twisting is an isolated exercise for strengthening the oblique abdominal muscles, which does not require special equipment to perform, which makes it possible to perform it anywhere without visiting the gym. Diagonal twists can be performed in both horizontal and vertical positions.

Exercise technique

The most popular option for performing the exercise is oblique abdominal crunches on the floor with a twist to the side. The technique for performing it will be as follows:

Initial position

We take the starting position: lie on the floor on your back and bend your knees. You can tilt your knees to one side or place the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other. The hands are behind the head, the lower back is pressed tightly to the floor.

Raising the body

We tighten our abs and lift our shoulders off the floor. Exhale and lift the body, pointing it in the same direction as the knees or ankle while doing lateral twists in one direction. If the twists are diagonal, then direct the body in the opposite direction.

When lifting, the neck should be as relaxed as possible, the chin should not be pressed to the chest. The elbow of the hand on the working side should reach as far as possible towards the leg.

Return to original position

Inhaling, we return to the starting position. At the same time, we do not lower our shoulders completely to the floor, we do not relax our abs. The back should always be slightly rounded.

On each side you need to do at least twenty to thirty repetitions and this is only in one approach, of which there should be three.

Side crunches

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Find out how to effectively pump up your side abs, tighten your sides and make your abs sporty and toned, important tips + video

Lying lateral crunches allow you to load not only the front, but also the lateral parts of the body. I especially appeal to girls, by doing this exercise you will not be able to burn a lot of fat deposits, it strengthens the muscles, shapes their appearance and clarity.

MUSCLE LOAD

The main load is directed to the rectus abdominis, transverse, external and internal oblique muscles, a small load goes to the lower back muscles.

TORSO POSITION

Lying on the floor, fingers lightly touch the head, elbows spread to the sides. Choose the position of your legs yourself, it can be your feet on the floor, on weight or on a gymnastic bench, clearly shown in the pictures in a straight twist of the body.

TECHNIQUE

From the bottom point, using the strength of the abdominal muscles, lifting the shoulder blades off the floor, we lift the body by turning it inward, at the top point, for example, the elbow of the right hand should look at the knee of the left leg, without tearing off the lower back.

Having made a second delay for the peak of the contraction, we slowly lower ourselves down without lying on our shoulders, in the lower position the abs are tense, and without delay we rotate the torso again. Do the same with the left side.

RECOMMENDATIONS

2) In the final phase of twisting the body, it is important to exhale completely, this way you contract the abdominal muscles as much as possible. Try to take a deep breath and, without exhaling, contract the muscle; you will immediately feel that the load is not full; 3) Do not jerk, this will not make your abs more prominent;

3) Do not jerk, this will not make your abs more prominent;

4) The time of lifting and lowering is the same, in no case fall to the floor after lifting, all movements are concentrated and smooth;

TYPES OF LATERAL TWISTS

2) Lateral twist while lying on your side - the oblique abdominal muscles are activated. Let's look at an example on the right side - 2 legs bent at the knees lie on the right side, the elbow of the right hand rests on the floor, the palm of the left hand is on the back of the head, the back lies on the floor. We twist the left side up and towards the hip as much as we can. Don’t forget about breathing, holding for a second at the top and smooth movements.

Exercise options

There are endless variations on this exercise. We have already considered two. You can leave your knees bent on the floor and reach your elbow towards the opposite knee. Or you can extend your working arm and reach your palm towards the foot of the same side.

1. “Bicycle” is another exercise for oblique twists, in which the direction of the sides alternates.
2. To enhance the effect, you can perform oblique crunches on an incline bench. The execution technique will be the same, but the effectiveness due to the resistance force will be higher.

We looked at performing oblique crunches from a lying position. The element is also effective from other positions: sitting and standing. How to do oblique twists in this case? Very simple!

1. Side crunches from a standing position. The focus here is on the slopes. We stand up straight, place our hands behind our heads like a butterfly and bend our body in different directions. Another variation is to slide straight arms along the body or to the opposite leg.
2. Oblique twists from a sitting position. We sit down on a chair, our hands also take the butterfly position. As you exhale, turn your body to the side.

How to do side crunches?

There are a number of recommendations from trainers that should be taken into account to improve results:

You don’t need to train your abs every day; 2-3 workouts a week will suffice. When performing side crunches, it is important to monitor your breathing. During maximum tension, that is, when twisting, you must exhale, which helps reduce the pressure inside the abdominal cavity, which contracts the muscles even more.

Taking the starting position, you need to inhale. To see the result, perform the exercise in 3-4 approaches, doing 12-15 repetitions on each side. Results can be seen after five weeks because the oblique muscles are difficult to train. A common mistake is that people lift their entire upper body, but they need to twist, so the lower back must remain stationary.

Lateral crunches on the horizontal bar

It will be difficult for beginners to perform such an exercise, but it is worth noting its effectiveness. Hanging side crunches will work not only the abdominal muscles, but also the lower back muscles.

1. Grab the bar so that the distance between your palms is the width of your shoulders. Loops can be used.
2. Raise your legs with your knees bent so that your thighs are parallel to the floor, but if you can raise them a little higher, that's even better.
3. To perform lateral twists on the bar, tilt your closed knees, first to one side, then to the other, without lowering your legs. Advanced athletes can perform the exercise with their legs straight and raised towards the bar. This exercise is also called the “pendulum”.

Lateral crunches in the simulator

Many trainers recognize that the exercise that will allow you to work out the oblique abdominal muscles as efficiently as possible should be performed on a crossover. This is due to the isolated initial position of the body and the ability to adjust the weight on the block. Lateral crunches on the simulator are performed according to the following scheme:

1. Attach a handle in the form of ropes to the top of the crossover and place a suitable weight. Get on your knees and hold the rope on opposite sides of your head.
2. Perform crunches by bringing your right elbow toward your left knee. The side crunch exercise will be effective if you stay at the end point.

Lying lateral crunch

This option is the most popular, suitable for training in the gym and at home. Side crunches on the floor are performed according to the instructions:

1. Lie on the floor on your side with your legs slightly bent. Place the hand that is on top behind your head, and hug your waist with the lower one.
2. Lateral twists are performed while exhaling. Raise your body by pulling your elbow forward. Pause for a second and lower yourself.

Side crunches on a bench

It is most convenient to perform this exercise on an incline bench, which is available in all gyms. If you are interested in how to do side crunches, then use the following technique:

1. Sit on a bench and secure your feet behind the bolsters. Place one hand behind your head and place the other on your thigh.
2. Raise your body while simultaneously pulling your elbow toward the knee of the opposite leg. After fixing the position, return to the starting position.

Standing lateral crunches

The simplest version of the exercise that can be performed anywhere and at any time. No special equipment is required, but additional load can be used to increase efficiency. Standing lateral crunches with a dumbbell are performed as follows:

1. Stand straight, keep your feet at shoulder level, with your knees slightly bent. The back should be straight and the shoulders should be straightened. Take a dumbbell in your left hand and keep the other on your belt.
2. Perform side crunches by first bending to the right side and then lifting your left leg at a right angle across the side, trying to touch your knee with your left elbow.
3. Make sure that your body does not lean forward.

Lateral crunches on a fitball

Thanks to the use of the ball, you can work out the oblique muscles well, since twisting will have a greater amplitude compared to performing the exercise on the floor.

To perform lateral crunches on a ball, lie on the exercise ball so that your lower shoulder is suspended

Place your lower foot on the floor with its edge, and place your upper foot completely on the floor, moving it slightly forward. It is important to ensure that the neck is straight at the level of the body. Be sure to suck in your stomach

Keep your top hand behind your head. If desired, add additional load to it. Perform crunches, holding at the top point for a couple of seconds. It is important to find a stable position so as not to fall forward or backward.

What to pay attention to when doing the exercise?

If you decide to pump up your abs using oblique crunches, then the following information will be useful to you:

• do not lift the body high above the floor - the maximum load on the oblique abdominal muscles will only be if the body is slightly lifted;
• the non-working hand located on the back of the head should not put pressure on it: its task is to support the head, and not to help in performing the element; in addition, this can lead to spinal injury in the cervical region;
• the oblique muscles should not be tense all the time: to achieve the maximum effect, it is also necessary to relax them, which is achieved by maximally pressing the shoulders and head to the floor in the starting position.

It must be remembered that side crunches require patience and enormous willpower. Already with the first approach, the muscles begin to burn. Many people can’t stand the stress and stop there. But this is wrong: the desired effect will be achieved only when performing the full cycle. Burning muscles indicate that they have just begun to work, so you need to load them even more, and not stop training.

Another secret of success is the regularity of performing the exercise and combining it with other abdominal exercises. Well, and of course, diet. No matter how developed the abdominal muscles are, they simply will not be visible under a layer of fat.

Let's sum it up

We ourselves make our body beautiful. Even naturally thin girls will benefit from oblique crunches. The abdominal muscles must always be in good shape, otherwise the tummy, no matter how small it may be, will bulge. A narrow waist makes a man's shoulders and chest visually wider, so lateral twists form the ideal body not only for women, but also for men.

In terms of technique, the element is quite simple. You just need patience and willpower. Love yourself and your body, and it will thank you in the form of visual beauty and health.