How to do a Decline Oblique Crunch
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Decline Bench
Workouts with Decline Oblique Crunch
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Decline Oblique Crunch is a variation of the traditional Crunch. This bodyweight exercise primarily targets the obliques and core. By performing the exercise on a decline bench, you add more resistance and increase the range of motion. Twisting to each side as you crunch up ensures that you emphasize the obliques, making this an excellent exercise for building core strength and adding variety to your ab workouts.
- Secure your lower body into the decline bench and position both hands behind your head.
- Engage your core to raise your torso off the bench, and twist to one side such that your elbow is arcing towards your opposite knee.
- Keep your core engaged and hold this position for a moment at the top of the movement.
- Either continue to reach for the same side or alternate between each repetition.
- You should feel this in your abdominals and obliques.
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Alternatives & Variations to Decline Oblique Crunch
1. Decline Crunch
79.5 mSCORESWAPPED 354 TIMESDecline Crunch is a more challenging variation on the more standard crunch. Similar to a standard Crunch, this is a bodyweight core exercise. The use of a decline bench forces you to lay back further than you can on a flat surface. This helps improve muscle activation.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Decline Bench
2. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 229 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
3. Oblique Crunch
86.7 mSCORESWAPPED 217 TIMESOblique Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Similar to Crunches, this is a bodyweight core exercise. By reaching across your torso, you can help isolate your obliques. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to specifically target their obliques.
4. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 150 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
5. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 137 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
6. Decline Sit Up
77.6 mSCORESWAPPED 136 TIMESDecline Sit Up is a variation on the more common Sit Up. By laying back on a decline bench, you can keep more tension on your abdominals at the top of the movement. This is a great exercise for adding a bit more of a challenge to your Sit Ups.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Decline Bench
7. Decline Russian Twists
60.1 mSCORESWAPPED 126 TIMESDecline Russian Twists is a variation on the standard Russian Twists. This compound exercise targets your obliques and core. By performing the exercise on a decline bench, you increase the range of motion and tension on your core muscles. This added difficulty makes it excellent for those looking to further challenge their core stability and strength.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Decline Bench
8. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 126 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
9. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 117 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.