You might have seen people doing side crunches on the floor. It is an easy exercise to target the obliques and transverse abdominus. However, is it one of the best and most effective exercises?
Side crunches are good when you are doing it in the right way. Or else it’s a waste of time. I have seen so many people doing it completely wrong. Either they are training their side neck or just trying to get as much rep as possible to show they have done 50-100 reps.
I say this all the time that there is no point in doing too many reps if you can’t do each of those reps properly. And if you are doing side crunches, you might not be feeling it on your obliques as much as you should.
So what are the other best alternatives to side crunches? Is there any better alternatives to side crunches?
In this article, I will share some of the best alternatives to side crunches that are much more effective and better in training your obliques and your side abdominal muscles. You can do many of these exercises at home without any eqipment. But beofre starting with the exercise, let me first go through the muscles that are worked dutring side crunches.
Contents
Muscles Worked During Side Crunches
Side crunch primarily targets the obliques and transverse abdominus. Along with that, abs and serratus anteerior are also engaged during the movement. If done wrong, it will engage your neck muscles more than the obliques. So you have to be strict with the form if you want to do this effectively.
So now Let’s see the alternative options below!
1. Side Plank
This is another great exercise you can do instead of side crunches. Side plank is an excellent exercise to improve stability and core strength. As the core muscles are slow-twitch muscles, you should do static exercises like side planks to work these muscles better.
Targeted muscles – Obliques, lower back, and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Lie on your side and keep your elbows on the floor such that your elbows are under your shoulder.
2. Keep both legs straight on top of each other and bring your hips up by engaging your core and obliques and stop when your hips and waist are in a straight line.
3. Now hold this position for about 30 seconds to a minute according to your strength. Atop the exercise when your hips starts going down.
4. Repeat the same position from the other side.
Recommended time- 30-60 sec
Rest- 30 sec
Make sure that you keep your torso straight and flat. You should feel the tension on your side. You can also keep the other hand on the floor just for balance.
2. Landmine Oblique Twist
In order to target the obliques, you should do twisting movements. Just bending to the side or doing side crunches will not give you the best results. That’s why you should do exercises like an oblique landmine twist. In this exercise, you will activate all of the core muscles which will help you improve balance and stability.
Landmine oblique twist looks and works similar to the cable wood chop. Here, you will activate the same muscles and can get amazing results. If you haven’t tried this before then you must try it.
Targeted muscles – obliques, transverse abdominis, and deltoid
How to do
1 Attach a bar to the landmine setup and then grab the other end of the bar. Hold the bar with one hand above the other. Then bring your arms up as you hold. This will be the starting position.
2. Start the exercise by bringing the bar down to the left side with the help of your arms. Twist your torso as you move and make sure not to bend your back too much.
3. Stop when your hand reaches the waist level and then move the bar up and take it to the right side while keeping your arms straight.
Recommended reps- 12-15
Rest- 45 seconds
Make sure that you do this exercise with proper form and technique. You should feel your obliques firing as you twist. You should focus on the obliques as you move the bar rather than just swinging the bar.
3. Side Bridge
A side bridge is one of the best alternatives to a side bend. Here, you will target the same muscles in a much better way than side crunches. When you do side crunches, there is no continuous force on your obliques and core.
However, when you perform a side bridge, you will have continuous tension on the core. This is due to the gravitational force. This makes side bridges a more effective exercise than side crunch.
Targeted muscles – Obliques, gluteus medius, and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Lie on your side and keep your elbows on the floor such that your elbows are under your shoulder. Lift your hips such that your hips and waist are in a straight line. This will be your starting position.
2. Start the exercise by bringing your hips down towards the floor and stopping until it almost touches the floor.
3. From the down position, lift your hips straight up with the help of your side waist muscle. Move your body straight up instead of leaning back or front.
4. Repeat the same procedure for the other side.
Rest- 45 sec
Recommended reps- 12-15
You can also do this exercise by placing your feet and arms on the bench. This makes it more challenging as your range of motion will increase.
For beginners, I would recommend you do this exercise by keeping the other hand on the floor so that you can balance yourself when you move your hips up and down.
4. Lying Heel Touches
A lying heel touch is an easier alternative to side crunches. If you are doing side crunches, you might feel more tension on the neck than obliques or side muscles. In that case, doing heel touches would be a better option.
Targeted muscles – Obliques,rectus abdominus (abs) and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Lay down on a mat flat and bend your knees. Keep the feet on the floor. Keep your arms straight on the sides. This will be your starting position.
2. Start the exercise by raising your torso while looking up. engage your abs and move your arms towards your heels.
3. Now start bringing your one side of the arm closer to your heels while keeping the other arm straight.
4. Touch your heel from one side and then do the same from the other arm and touch the other heel. Dit back and forth.
Recommended reps- 20-25 on each side
Make sure that you look straight up and engage your core as you move your torso up. It would be best to keep the tension on the abs throughout the movement.
5. Alternate Toe Touch
Alternate toe touch is another great exercise to target the obliques and abs. This exercise is also good for those who have lower back pain when performing crunches. You can do alternate toe touches to keep your lower back safe.
Targeted muscles – Obliques,rectus abdominus (abs) and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Lie down on the floor and keep both hands up to the side. Your hands and legs should be on the floor. This will be yourt starting position.
2. Start the exercise by lifting one opposite leg and arm and try to touch the toe with your hands at the top. Keep the other limbs on the floor.
3. Engage your abs as you move your limbs. Slowly return to the the starting position and then repeat from the other side.
Recommended reps- 15-20 each side
You can do this exercise easiliy at home whenever you want. This is the benefit of the floor exercises. You have no excuses to skip them so do it consistently to get better results.
6. Plank With Hip Twist
This is another best alternative to side crunches. If you can do planks easily, then this exercise will be a great variation you can add to challenge your core.
Targeted muscles – rectus abdominus (abs), obliques, and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Go down on a plank position by placing both hands on the floor with both feet close to each other.
2. Keep your elbows under your shoulder. Your hips and back should be in a straight line. This will be your starting position.
3. Start the exercise by moving your left hip toward the floor. Keep your hips up as you move.
4. Almost touch the floor and then use your core muscles to bring your hips up towards the starting position. Repeat the same procedure from the other side.
Rest- 45 sec
Recommended reps- 15 each side
Along with your abs, you will also engage your obliques and transverse abdominis. These exercises will also help you in improving your squats and other big lifts because your core is engaged in a lot of during compound movements like deadlifts and lunges. So do these exercises to improve your overall strength and performance.
7. Side Plank With Rotation
This is another way to challenge your core to the next level. This is an advanced version of the regular side plank. This is a much more effective way to hit the obliques and to strengthen those core muscles lying close to your love handles. So do this instead of side bends.
Targeted muscles – Obliques, gluteus medius, and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Get in a side plank position by lying on your side and keeping your elbows on the floor, under the shoulder. Keep the other hand straight up.
2. Start the exercise by twisting your torso and moving your hand down and bringing it under your waist. Keep your hips and torso up as you move.
3. Now move your hands up while bringing your torso back to the starting position with the help of your core.
4. Repeat the same procedure for the other side.
Rest- 45 sec
Recommended reps- 12-15
This exercise is a little advance. So if you are a beginner, then stick with the basic side plank. Once you master the form, then you can try this.
8. Cable Woodchop
Cable woodchop is another excellent exercise for your obliques. It is much more effective than a side crunches as you are twisting your torso, and there is a direct force on the obliques. You can do this on a cable machine, or you can also use a resistance band.
Targeted muscles – Obliques and transverse abdominis
How to do
1. Attach a rope or a handle on a cable pulley fixed at about your head level. Grab the rope from both hands and stand in the middle of the cable machine. This is your starting position.
2. Start the exercise by pulling the rope and bringing it to the other side. Twist your torso and rotate your feet as you move.
3. Bring your arm down to the other side while keeping the tension on the core.
4. Then slowly move your arms back to the starting position while keeping your back straight.
Recommended reps- 12-15
Rest- 30- 45 seconds
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band. Just hook a band at the upper corner of the rack and follow the same procedures mentioned above.
9. Single Arm Farmers Carry
This is the easiest exercise you can do to strengthen the core muscles. You just need a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell to perform this exercise.
When farmers carry with a single hand, the other side of your core muscles has to work hard to keep your body straight and neutral. This puts an extra load on the obliques and other core muscles. Thus it is another great alternative to side crunches.
Targeted muscles – Obliques, transverse abdominis, traps, and forearms
How to do
1. Hold a heavy dumbbell or a kettlebell in one hand and stand straight. Keep both arms straight down to the side and keep your head neutral. This will be your starting position.
2. Start the exercise by walking straight in the gym, ground, or at home. Keep your body straight and don’t lean or bend your back. Keep your chest up and shoulder retracted.
3. Switch your arms and then do the same from the other hand.
Rest- 1 min
One of the great advantages of this exercise is that you are strengthening various other muscles apart from the obliques and core. Farmers carry also increases the grip strength, increases the size of your traps, and helps you in lifting heavier weights. So this exercise will complement increasing the performance during a squat or deadlift.
Final Words
So these were some of the better alternatives to side crunches. Now you will have so many options to target the obliques and get in shape. I have discussed 10 of these exercises, but you don’t have to do all of them. You should choose the best ones for you according to your goals and level of finess.
You can do most of these exercises at home so never say that you don’t have time or can’t go ta a gym. All of us have time, and it’s our time management skills help us reach our goals. So manage your time according to your schedule. You just need 30-45 minutes in a day to look after your health. So don’t skip that.
If you found this article helpful, then please share it with your friends and family. Also if you want me to make an article on any other related topics, then please do let me knowin the comment section below.
Also Read
7 Best Decline Sit Up Alternatives (Without Bench)
Roshan Pillai is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer with more than 6 years of experience in lifting weights and guiding people to get fit. He has worked as a personal trainer in gyms and is the owner and editor of fitnessproworkout.com. He is passionate about fitness and helping people to get in shape.
