Many people want to reduce their "love handles" or their obliques. Most people don't realize where these muscles are, how they function and what kind of load or weights are best suited for these muscles. Let's first examine where they are.
When looking at the anatomy of the oblique's we can see the fibers of the anterior oblique run in a fan shape around the body, while the fibers themselves change angles from the origin (the beginning) to the insertion (the end) of the muscle. The deepest oblique, called the Internal oblique, and the largest abdominal muscle,(the External oblique) overlap each other in a lattice effect, integrating with each other through a common insertion on the Linea alba. (1) The Linea alba is the thick fibrous band running vertically the entire length of the center of the anterior abdominal wall. This band provides the line done the middle of the coveted "six pack."
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In order to train a muscle you must resist or challenge the movement or motion that would cause the muscle you're training to tighten, contract, or in fact shorten, by having both ends of the muscle come closer to each other. In a curl, for example, all the muscle fibers in your biceps point in the same direction so it's easy to figure out how to resist the motion of a curl. Just make the resistance pull in the opposite direction as the fibers in your biceps. When you perform a curl, the bones of your arm come closer together from forward to backwards. In the fitness field, this is referred to as "flexion" in the sagittal plane. The obliques however, help fill the abdominal cavity which is the space between your ribs and your hips. They start in the front of your body and wrap around your side in a fan shape. Because of this fan shape the fibers of the obliques don't all point in the same direction. This is where people get confused. If you were to look in the dictionary for the definition of the word oblique, you would find it means diagonal. Since the fibers all point in different directions at different points of the muscle, the obliques can function in the frontal plane, (side-bending), the sagittal plane, (forward and backward), the transverse plane (left to right) or in a diagonal motion. Unfortunately, there is no name for a diagonal plane of motion. In order for something to occur in a diagonal plane, at least two motions must occur at the same time or one motion would initiate before the other. Now we have to think "multi-planar."
To train the obliques concentrically and eccentrically (shortening and lengthening), as opposed to isometrically (static, or no movement), we would first need to decide on where the direction of resistance is coming from. Are we using gravity, as in a crunch or a rope or a cable from up above, as in a kneeling crunch. Once we know where the direction of resistance is coming from, we can perform this single plane or multi-planar activity.
Confused? I'm not finished. I'm just getting warmed up! (Just kidding)
Before we start to move or perform any of the exercises we have one little thing to consider:
the spine. Since the spine was designed way before we considered training it we have to respect it's architecture. If we were to look at the design of the spine we would discover the facet joints (bony articulations that surround the spinal nerves) that surround the lumbar spine lie in a sagittal plane favoring flexion and extension (bending forward and backward). As the spine progresses upward towards your head, the facets start to face more in the frontal plane favoring a little more rotation and side-bending until finally, when we reach the cervical portion (your neck), which is closest to the major sensory organ (your brain), the most available rotation occurs in your spine.
Since the oblique's can rotate the trunk, it's imperative you learn and respect the architecture of the spine. The spine is made of bone, and bone responds to stress or load. If you constantly load your spine incorrectly with incorrect motions or movements (exercises), the bone could respond in an unfavorable manner, hence altering the architecture of the spine. Ouch! I've seen many trainers have their clients lie on their backs and flop their knees over to the side against the floor and then perform lateral flexion (side-bending)of the spine. Although the oblique's do help to laterally flex the spine, the lumbar facets in that position have the least amount of rotation available to them. Why go against the natural structure of your spine? Not to mention all the people who try to work their oblique's while using some kind of abdominal device. These "ab rollers" have one axis of rotation in the sagittal plane (forwards and backwards). When a person using one of these devices rotates their hips against the floor they've turned their spine closing down one side of the facets and opening up another. One would need to move in the directions of the legs respecting the "opened" side of the facets. Unfortunately, the abdominal device is still moving in it's original axis of rotation which is now going against those same facets. Not good!
Another common mistake is people using a Hyperextension bench sometimes referred to as a Roman Chair to perform side bends or lateral flexion of the spine. I guess they figure if they do enough repetitions their "love handles" will disappear. Wrong! First of all, when you work a muscle it doesn't get smaller. Secondly, the obliques are sheaths of muscle. They really don't grow that much. Certain muscles have the capacity to grow and others don't. For instance, your rotator cuff or the masater (the muscle you chew with) are never going to get huge. It's the type of muscle tissue or make-up of the entire muscle. It can grow though. Lastly, this type of bench is not designed for lateral flexion, (side bends) or frontal plane movement. Standing sideways with your feet locked in by the foot plate and your hips locked in by the hip pad puts a terrible torque on the knee joint. It might not hurt today, but at an average of 3 sets of 15-25 repetitions 3 days a week equals about 6000-7000 repetitions are year! Multiply that for a few years and then they wonder why they have knee problems when they "really haven't done anything to my knee." All this to reduce a muscle that can't be reduced by performing this exercise. A better alternative if you're trying to target this motion is to walk over to a cable cross over machine and perform the side bends by holding the low cable in your hand. Now you've accomplished the same thing without torqing your knee.
One last thing. The oblique's always work in a force couple helping each other. If you rotate to the right, the left External oblique works along with the right Internal oblique. Even in a crunch, both External oblique's act together in a concurrent force system(3) to help flex the trunk. In fact, because of the common attachments to the thoraco-lumbar fascia in your lower back and the common attachments to the aponeurosis in the front, you'll find in the trunk, it is almost impossible to isolate a particular muscle. You can, however, emphasize a muscle or group of muscles.
If you want to see this muscle or become more defined in that area, you'll need to either lose fat or make the muscle more pronounced, in essence, hypertrophy the muscle. In other words, it has to get bigger. Start with light weight and perform more repetitions, (25-50). Once you've adapted, switch to heavier loads and fewer repetitions, (8-15).
Let's perform some resisted movements (exercises).
1. Side bends
You can perform this exercise with a dumbbell or weight in one hand or by grabbing a low cable from a cable-crossover machine. Stand straight with correct posture, slightly bend the knees and slowly let the weight roll down your leg towards your knee. Return all the way to the other side. Do not hold weights in both hands. It defeats the purpose. One weight counterbalances the other and you become a pendulum. A cable is much better because of the angle of pull from the resistance. Because the cable is coming slightly from the side, and not downward like gravity, the exercise is better resistedthroughout the motion.
2. Oblique crunch
Keep the feet on the ground or supported on a bench, and the knees vertical or a little bit to the side 20 to 45 degrees max. Then perform a diagonal motion bringing origin (external oblique = the external surface of the lower eight ribs or internal oblique = inguinal ligament, the iliac crest and lumbodorsal fascia) towards insertion ( linea alba and the pubic crest), the midline of the body. Since the resistance is from gravity, initiate the motion with flexion first (the upper body is getting closer to the lower body), then introduce the diagonal motion towards your belly button (the umbilicus).
To cue this exercise, place one finger on the front part of your ribs, right under your chest and place another finger between your belly button and your ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine or the bone sticking out from your pelvis). Start with the crunch movement and then rotate. Both fingers should be getting closer together. Each time you perform this motion you'll be working the External oblique on the contra lateral side (the opposite side of the direction you're turning) and the Internal oblique on the ipsilateral side, (the same side you're turning).
This motion is small. Make sure the motion starts from the obliques and not the neck and shoulders. You'll feel your obliques like you'll never felt them before. As an added bonus you'll save wear and tear on your spine.
Exhale through pursed lips as you come up.
For added weight or challenge, put your hand or hands behind your head, extend the length of your arm out to the side or hold a weight on your chest.
3. Cybex Torso Rotation Machine
Sit down on this machine with good posture. Start with your legs facing forwards, head straight with chest up against the pad. Grab hold of the handles and place your knees against the pads. Pull up on the range limiter and allow your body to turn about 45 degrees to one side.
Don't force.While keeping your chest on the pad and maintaining good posture, initiate the motion back to neutral with your oblique's. Don't go past neutral. If you go past neutral, the ability to control the momentum of the weight stack coming down, or the machine coming back can be awkward for some people and could be dangerous. Control is the key here. Be careful not to use your arms or legs to turn the machine. The motion must initiate from the trunk.
4. Wood Chop
This exercise activates the anterior oblique sling(4). The pattern shown below activates the left external oblique and the right external oblique synergistically. The most important aspect of the movement is not to use your arms. The motion must initiate from the trunk. If you're rotating to the right, place your right hand on the inside of the handle and your left hand on the outside over the top of the right hand. Keep the knees bent, and chop the wood in a nice fluid motion.
5. Reverse Wood Chop
This is actually my favorite exercise to perform for the oblique's. Grab the lower cable and perform the same motion as the Wood Chop but in reverse. This exercise is more challenging because you don't have the weight of your upper body assisted by gravity helping pull the cable down. Allow all your joints (ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and head) to articulate together in a fluid motion. Only your wrists and elbows should remain fixed through the motion.
6. Any one armed or unilateral exercise with the upper extremity.
Remember Newton's third law: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
Try a one armed incline or flat dumbbell chest press, a one armed cable fly or a one armed seated row. Remember, you only have a weight in one hand, the other is empty. Your oblique's will have to stabilize like crazy.
Remember, the oblique's are muscles. Don't forget the overload principle. The heavier the weight you use for these movements the larger your muscles will grow. Lose the layer of fat over your oblique's and you'll be able to see them nicely.
1. Alexander P. Spence, Basic Human Anatomy, Menlo Park , Ca., Benjamin Cummings Publishing.
2. Cynthia C. Norkin & Pamela K. Levange, Joint Structure & Function, Philadelphia, Pa., F. A. Davis Publishing
3. Cynthia C. Norkin & Pamela K. Levange, Joint Structure & Function, Philadelphia, Pa., F. A. Davis Publishing
4. Paul Chek., Scientific Core Conditioning correspondence Course, 1998 by John Platero
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