As dancers having a strong core is a must. So much of what we do requires us to be able to maintain a solid trunk while our limbs are flying this way and that. Not to mention jumps and lifts improve when our core is strong. But single-sided exercises like pirouettes and extensions require stable obliques. That’s why today we have an oblique workout for you.
The obliques are a part of your abs that wrap around your sides. They are the stabilizers we use to balance our turns, side extensions, and more.
Here’s the thing, no matter how strong your core is, an oblique workout always seems to burn *so good.* Use this oblique workout as a finisher or to move your body on an active rest day.
Ready to try?
The Oblique Workout:
Lunge With Rotation:
First up in our oblique workout are lunges with rotation.
Start standing with your feet hip distance apart and raise your arms straight out in front of you, at shoulder height.
Then step one foot forward, bending your knees to perform a forward lunge. As you lunge rotate your torso toward your front leg, keeping the arms out in front and allowing your gaze to follow. Untwist and bring your torso back to the center.
Then, step the front foot back to a neutral standing position.
Finally, repeat on the opposite side.
**Perform 10 reps per side then rest for 20 seconds**
Heel Taps (Penguins):
Lying flat on your back, bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor. Reach your arms along the side of your body.
Keeping your collarbones wide, lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor.
Then, bend to one side and reach and tap the heel of the foot with your fingertips.
Alternate sides. Continue to bend back and forth until you’ve done 10 taps per side. (20 total)
**Perform 10 reps per side, then rest for 15 seconds.**
Side Plank:
Feel free to use any of the following variations: on your elbow, up on your hand, both legs bent, one leg bent, both legs straight with staggered feet, or both legs straight with feet stacked.
Be sure to lift through the obliques keeping the ribs closed the hips stacked vertically and the pelvis neutral.
**Perform a 30-second hold on each side then rest for 15 seconds.**
Side Plank With Crunch:
Building on the side plank we are going to add an extra challenge.
Set up with whichever side plank variation you are most comfortable with.
Then, use the top arm and top leg to “crunch” the top side of your body by bringing the top elbow and knee together.
**Perform 10 reps per side then rest for 15 seconds.**
Side Plank With Twist:
You may be picking up on a theme here in our oblique workout.
Once again set up in whichever side plank variation you are most comfortable with.
Then using the top arm, thread the arm under the body and twist the torso to follow the arm. Try not to let the plank dip or drop as you do so.
Finally, reach the arm back to the ceiling and untwist the torso to the starting position of the side plank.
**Perform 10 reps per side then rest for 15 seconds.**
Side Plank Hip Drop:
Okay, I swear we are almost done with side plank variations, but they are just SO good for isolating the obliques for an oblique workout.
So, set up whichever side plank variation you are most comfortable with.
Make sure to keep the hips stacked vertically, then, drop the bottom hip towards the ground to elongate the side of the body.
Lift the hips back up to shorten or “cinch” the side of the body.
**Perform 10 reps per side then rest for 15 seconds.**
Spiderman Plank:
Set up in a high plank position with both hands stacked under the shoulders (feel free to do a knee plank if a high plank is challenging for you).
Then, bend one knee to the side trying to tap the elbow of the same arm as the leg. (Like Spiderman climbing up a wall.) Then repeat on the other side. Alternate for 10 reps on each side, 20 reps total.
**After completing 10 reps per side, rest for 15 seconds.**
Bicycle Crunch:
We’ve reached the final exercise of our oblique workout! Are you feeling the burn yet? Finish this last exercise strong! You’ve got this!
Lie on your back with your arms behind your head and elbows out wide.
Using your abs, lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground.
Bend one knee in towards the chest while the other leg extends out straight hovering slightly above the ground.
Twist the torso as you try and tap the opposite elbow to the opposite knee.
Continue to switch back and forth.
For a more advanced variation keep both legs straight and scissor the legs as you twist for a straight-leg bicycle.
**Perform 10 reps per side (20 total).**
Congrats! You’ve completed the oblique workout! You might be feeling a bit sore already. Feel free to sink into a child’s pose and walk your hands over to one side and then to the other. You should feel a nice stretch down your obliques.
Now take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back, you did it!
Want more workouts like these? Try these exercises and workouts that our clients love: Workout Wednesday: A Quick Core Workout, Training Tip Tuesday: Walking RDL, Feel the Burn: A Toning Workout
