Our side abs, or the external oblique, are important for our posture and core stability. Plus, to look great along with exercises for legs, abs, arms, etc. We must train our side abs as well. Luckily, exercises for toning side abs are relatively simple and it easy to do them. Continue reading and find out what are six best workouts for toning side abs.

NOTE: Perform these exercises three times per week, in three sets of 10 – 12 repetitions.

  1. Russian Twist

This exercise is effective, simple, and easy to fit into every exercise routine you prefer.

Here is how you should do it:

  • Sit down and then lean back with both your feet on the ground.
  • Clasp your hands together in front of your chest and keep shoulders down.
  • Make sure your elbows are pointing out to each side
  • Then, rotate to the right side, come to the center, and rotate to the left.
  • Let the elbow lead you and feel both external obliques as you’re rotating from one side to another.
  • You can hold the weighted plate in your hands to increase the intensity, or even dumbbells or bottles of water.

2. Dumbbell Side Bend 

This exercise is perfect for all people who want to feel the burning sensation in their side abs. For this exercise, you need dumbbells, or some objects that can be used as dumbbells like canned goods, bottles of water, heavier books, exercise bands, ankle weights. Pretty much everything that weighs as dumbbells and fits into your hands can be used as dumbbell alternative until you purchase them.

Do the exercise like this

  • Stand still with shoulders down and back and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  • Looking straight ahead lean to your right side
  • Let your arm pull your body weight to the side and keep going until you feel your muscle became tense
  • The resistance of the dumbbell will pull your body to the side and work the right side abs.
  • Come to the center and repeat the same process with your left side.
  • If you want to make this exercise more challenging, increase the dumbbell weight.

3. Bicycle Crunches

The beauty of this exercise is the versatility. It tones your abs and side abs that are a great reason to include this exercise into your fitness regime.

Here is how to do it:

  • Lie down onto your back and lift your legs up with knees bent at 90 degrees angle
  • Place your hands behind your head and start with bicycle crunch by bringing the right elbow and left knee in as you’re trying to connect them
  • While you’re doing this, you will feel tension in right side abs
  • Release right elbow and left knee, go back into the starting position and repeat the process with left elbow and right knee
  • You can increase intensity by speeding up your movements, or decrease intensity by slowing down.

4. Windshield Wipers

Another easy exercise that is done like this:

  • Lie down and place your arms out to your sides to form a letter T with your body
  • Make sure your palms are facing the ground
  • Lift your knees up into 90 degrees angle and try to swing them down to the right
  • Raise your legs up to the center and do the same process to your left
  • As before, you can increase or decrease intensity by speeding up or slowing down.

5. Foot To Foot Crunch

Do it like this

  • Lie down on your back with feet on the ground
  • Raise head and neck up off the ground
  • Keep arms to your sides
  • Reach right hand toward right foot
  • Come back to the starting position, without posing, and repeat the process with the left hand and left foot

6. Side Plank

Side plank strengthens side abs and challenges your core:

  • Sit on the left side with legs slightly bent and your feet stacked
  • Place your left hand 12 inches away from the pelvis
  • While pushing hand into the ground straighten your legs lifting your pelvis off the ground
  • Stay like that for 30 seconds and switch sides.

6 Best Abs Exercises You Can Do Anywhere – By Erin Stern

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Via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bjDn2bPOzI&index=6&list=PLdGeMxFseBlcORTyWzU-MhTjKlQwpmrA0

 

Conclusion

 

With the exercises listed above you will have toned and nicely-shaped side abs, better posture, and improved endurance. Don’t forget to do each exercise in 3 sets of 10 or 12 repetitions; that is extremely important for toning your external oblique.

References:

  1. http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm#step10
  2. http://r2hmagazine.com/2015/07/07/top-7-absurd-workout-myths/

Author Bio:

 

claireClaire John is a Houston, TX-based author with seven years of experience, who has covered health, fitness, diet plans, and beauty and skin care articles for some websites. She is a graduate from Texas Southern University.You can find her work on top beauty, health and fitness websites. To know more about Claire John visit her on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest.