The lying bent-knee oblique twist is an isolation exercise which builds muscle and strength in the obliques which are located on both sides of the rectus abdominis (Abdominals). These muscles help us to rotate and bend the torso, so it’s important that we have sufficient core strength to perform these movements.
Now, to train the obliques effectively, it’s best to use movements which involve trunk rotation. So, the lying bent-knee oblique twist is ideal for stimulating these core muscles and you can even add additional weight to increase the difficulty for even more results.
Exercise Instructions
- Lie on your back and place your arms straight out to the sides to keep your body stable during the exercise.
- Then, bend your legs at a 90-degree angle and rotate them all the way to the left while using your arms for balance.
- Now, rotate your legs all the way to the right.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Variations & Tips:
- You can do the weighted version of the exercise with a ball in between your legs (See the second video)
- You can keep your legs straight to increase the difficulty.
- Keep your core tight during the movement to activate your obliques against resistance.
- The lying bent-knee oblique twist works the obliques.
Watch: How to do the lying bent-knee oblique twist
Watch: How to do the weighted lying bent-knee oblique twist
Watch: How to do the lying oblique twist
Interested in measuring your progress? Check out our strength standards for Crunches, Russian Twist, Side Crunch, and more exercises.
