Side Crunch | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Internal and external obliques
Secondary muscles: Core
Equipment: No equipment
Exercise for the opposite muscles: Superman

SIDE CRUNCH INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lie on your back with your hands supporting your head, bend the knees and rotate your hips to the left.
2. Lift your shoulders off the floor, squeeze the obliques and hold for 1 to 2 seconds.
3. Slowly return to the starting position, repeat, and switch sides.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Keep your head, neck and back neutral, engage your core, open your chest and look up. Exhale as you slowly lift your shoulders off the floor and move your body straight up. Breathe in as you return to the starting position.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The side crunch targets the external and internal obliques and strengthens the side ab wall. This exercise helps to sculpt the waist, giving you a more shapely body.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

Do 2 or 3 sets of 15 to 20 repetitions on each side. To target all muscles of the core, pair side crunches with the sprinter crunch, plank leg lifts and the superman exercise.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the side crunch, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED CORE EXERCISES

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
Triangle crunch
Inverted V plank
Standing side bend
Plank shoulder taps

WORKOUT ROUTINES