# Shaping the stomach. Train the Obliques!!



## mmuscle (Nov 28, 2004)

Hi all,

 Just a quick post to give a bit of advise for anyone who is interested in getting that much desired pefect stomach. Most people 'new' to bodybuilding train there stomach by performing endless sets of Ab crunches, sit-ups and leg raises. This is all good, however to shape your stomach evenly, its a good idea to also work the obliques. These muscles are the ones located at the side of the midsection and working them helps to shape and tighten the whole midsection. 

  Here's how you work them.

 With a dumbbell in either one or both hands, held against the side, you should bend sideways from the far left to the far right, lowering down slowly and lifting quickly. This should be repeated for between 10-15 repetitions, for say 1 or 2 sets. Note that for the best results, this exercise should be incorporated into your general abdominal workout, as excersing any abdominal muscle will affect the adjacent muscles and therefore will have a cumulative affect on the developement of the entire area.

  Well thats my ten cents worth for the day 

  mmuscle

http://www.makemuscle.net


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## Cold Iron (Nov 28, 2004)

A lot of people here don't even train their obliques. Apparently, it takes away from the V-taper


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## JLB001 (Nov 28, 2004)

Notta a bad website MMuscle.  

I like the plan sites that don't have lots of bling bling going on.  Easier to get around.


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## DimebagDarrell (Nov 28, 2004)

even arnold himself says to not train the obliques.  they get enough training from standard excercises, and getting huge obliques will make you look fat.


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## ponyboy (Nov 28, 2004)

mmuscle said:
			
		

> With a dumbbell in either one or both hands, held against the side, you should bend sideways from the far left to the far right, lowering down slowly and lifting quickly. This should be repeated for between 10-15 repetitions, for say 1 or 2 sets. Note that for the best results, this exercise should be incorporated into your general abdominal workout, as excersing any abdominal muscle will affect the adjacent muscles and therefore will have a cumulative affect on the developement of the entire area.
> 
> Well thats my ten cents worth for the day
> 
> ...



That's fine for side flexion - but the obliques don't do just that.  They are rotators of the spine and trunk as well (in fact that is their primary function).  To truly develop the obliques you need to also incorporate twisting movements into your routine.  Side flexion won't build strong functional obliques by themselves.  Some of my favourites are:  

Standing wood chop (with cable)
Russian twist (on swiss ball)
Seated medicine ball rotation


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## musclepump (Nov 28, 2004)

no oblique training for me or any of my clients.


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## kick_boxer (Nov 28, 2004)

Hasnt anyone seen fight club? Pitt has enormous obliques and hes far from fat.


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## min0 lee (Nov 28, 2004)

I used to box a little and you need strong obliques for those side shots.

I seldom do them, they make me look boxy.


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## CowPimp (Nov 28, 2004)

I don't do any direct oblique work and mine are very visible.  You can see in my gallery.


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## camarosuper6 (Nov 28, 2004)

People will spend an hour training obliques and abs and wont touch deadlifts or squats.

THIS is what is wrong with wanna - be bodybuilders.


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## cman (Nov 28, 2004)

min0 lee said:
			
		

> I used to box a little and you need strong obliques for those side shots.
> 
> I seldom do them, they make me look boxy.


Again , your a dude


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## CowPimp (Nov 28, 2004)

camarosuper6 said:
			
		

> People will spend an hour training obliques and abs and wont touch deadlifts or squats.
> 
> THIS is what is wrong with wanna - be bodybuilders.



Indeed.  Especially because the abs are recruited heavily as a stabilizer muscle when squatting.  I am willing to bet that this promotes more growth than the "day of a million crunches" routines that many follow.


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## Flex (Nov 29, 2004)

camarosuper6 said:
			
		

> People will spend an hour training obliques and abs and wont touch deadlifts or squats.
> 
> THIS is what is wrong with wanna - be bodybuilders.



DING DING DING

We have a winner


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## Flex (Nov 29, 2004)

you don't need to train obliques, it'll only make 'em bigger.

you get rid of the love handles with diet/cardio


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## camarosuper6 (Nov 29, 2004)

> you get rid of the love handles with diet/cardio




 Your kidding.  And all this time I thought I needed the UltraAb4000!


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## Tha Don (Nov 29, 2004)

I don't train obliques and mine a very visible, al the guys at my new gym are like 'shit, your obliques!!!!' buggin me as if i'm gonna tell em my secret guide to ripped obliques routine, i seriously do no direct oblique work... twisting crunches on the exercise ball is about as far as it goes, its all in the diet!

peace


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## BigDyl (Nov 29, 2004)

I can oblique press 450 for 7 reps.


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## mmuscle (Nov 30, 2004)

*Obliques*

Hi guys,

Well this seems to have provoked a good few more responses than I thought it would.

Opinion out there seems to be divided quite evenly between whether Obliques are good to work or not. I suppose it depends on whether you're going for that overall slim midsection, or whether you just want to develop all of the muscles in that area as much as possible.

I understand that twisting motions also get the obliques. My preference is just for the side dips as I have achieved good results from them.  

mmuscle

http://www.makemuscle.net


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## simbh (Nov 30, 2004)

Ya , I didnt train them till a few weeks ago ... I got this great exercises from mens health on a swiss ball for the obliques. Its so farking hard , I feel like I wanna die the 2-3 seconds after I do it.


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## GIZmo_Timme (Nov 30, 2004)

hey mmuscle, if you want that V shape DONT TRAIN YOUR OBLIQUES!


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## Flex (Nov 30, 2004)

BigDyl said:
			
		

> I can oblique press 450 for 7 reps.



rofl


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## min0 lee (Nov 30, 2004)

cman said:
			
		

> Again , your a dude


You still don't know what I am?
I know a lot of woman who box here in NY.


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## BulkMeUp (Nov 30, 2004)

min0 lee said:
			
		

> You still don't know what I am?
> I know a lot of woman who box here in NY.


But the issue is, you are a woman without a box!


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## BabsieGirl (Nov 30, 2004)

musclepump said:
			
		

> no oblique training for me or any of my clients.




I second that


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## min0 lee (Nov 30, 2004)

BulkMeUp said:
			
		

> But the issue is, you are a woman without a box!


Oh just ignore that thing, its really no big deal.


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## BulkMeUp (Nov 30, 2004)

min0 lee said:
			
		

> Oh just ignore that thing, its really no big deal.


I agree, its really no *big * deal.


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## Robboe (Nov 30, 2004)

CowPimp said:
			
		

> Indeed.  Especially because the abs are recruited heavily as a stabilizer muscle when squatting.  I am willing to bet that this promotes more growth than the "day of a million crunches" routines that many follow.



Yup.

And pull-downs/pull-ups for me when i keep my body static and still and just move the weight with my arms and back.


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## mmuscle (Nov 30, 2004)

*Obliques*

Well I must admit - this has been quite a fun little thread.  

 But I'm ight and everyone who agrees with me is right and everyone else is wrong  

 Only joking, some interesting points of view there.  And thanks for the comments on the site.  Not the best looking thing, but getting there.

 mmuscle

http://www.makemuscle.net


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## ponyboy (Nov 30, 2004)

mmuscle said:
			
		

> Well I must admit - this has been quite a fun little thread.
> 
> But I'm ight and everyone who agrees with me is right and everyone else is wrong
> 
> ...



Checked it out.  Having multiple spelling errors on a site is never good - and you have multiples.  Use your spell check.


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## camarosuper6 (Nov 30, 2004)

pwned


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## mmuscle (Dec 1, 2004)

Yep, my spelling is pretty poor  

Spell check on its way.


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## crazy_enough (Dec 1, 2004)

I've made the mistake of adding oblique specific training to my routine...NOOOOOO!!lolol
I had already tightened my waist and had abs showing, I squat and deadlift like a "madman" or madwoman and now , those darn obliques have widened my waist a little...Mind you, its obvious that its muscular and not fat, but as a female, id much rather have a more slender waist and emphasize my shouldres and curves....

I havent trained obliques in 3 weeks now, anyone know how long it can take to sort of "reverse" the effects??


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## mmuscle (Dec 1, 2004)

*Obliques*

Ok not for anyone who is going for a tiny waist. But Personaly I prefer a kind of all round definition. And yep squats and deadlifts get the area, but nothing beats the odd bit of isolation.



  mmuscle

http://www.makemuscle.net


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## mmuscle (Dec 13, 2004)

All depends on what you want from your training  

mmuscle

http://www.makemuscle.net


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## Tough Old Man (Dec 14, 2004)

Tough Old Man decided to go in the opposite direction.  Last Thursday the 9th and had Liposuction performed. Now I'm bruised as all hell and swollen like the goodyear blimp.


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## WilliamB (Dec 16, 2004)

And im sure your reference is wwwmakemuslce.net isnt it.  Taking a building block website and bringing it to a highly advanced forum.  _Moderators you going to let this guy advertise on your website!_


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## mmuscle (Dec 23, 2004)

*WilliamB*

Just making posts and trying to put in my ten cents worth. Whats wrong with a ref to my own site in the signature


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## shutupntra1n (Dec 23, 2004)

WilliamB said:
			
		

> And im sure your reference is wwwmakemuslce.net isnt it. Taking a building block website and bringing it to a highly advanced forum. _Moderators you going to let this guy advertise on your website!_


He's not advertising dude. Just putting a link in his sig. Chill buddy


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## mmuscle (Apr 6, 2005)

Cheers for all the responses guys.

  mmuscle

http://www.makemuscle.net


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