Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

Oblique Crunches - On The Floor is a beginner-level isolation in the strength category that primarily works the abs. It is performed with bodyweight.

How to do it

1. 1Start out by lying on your right side with your legs lying on top of each other. Make sure your knees are bent a little bit.
2. 2Place your left hand behind your head.
3. 3Once you are in this set position, begin by moving your left elbow up as you would perform a normal crunch except this time the main emphasis is on your obliques.
4. 4Crunch as high as you can, hold the contraction for a second and then slowly drop back down into the starting position.
5. 5Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (elevation) part of the exercise.

Muscles worked

Primary muscles in filled badges, secondary in grey. Tap for more exercises per muscle.

Tips and common mistakes

• •Focus on the muscle contraction and control the eccentric (lowering) phase.
• •Add load only once you complete all reps with good form — progressive overload.
• •Initiate the pull from the target muscle rather than jerking with body momentum.
• •Prioritize full range of motion over heavy weight with partial reps.

Sets and reps

For hypertrophy: 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps with 1–2 reps in reserve (RPE 7–9) and 1–2 minutes rest. For strength: 3–5 × 4–6 with longer rest.