10 Best Oblique Crunches Floor Alternatives for Home Workouts

The Oblique Crunches Floor is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: Oblique Crunches, Oblique Crunches - On The Floor and the Elbow-to-knee. Two harder versions, the Twisted Leg Raise and the Oblique Crunch, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Oblique Crunches Floor

Oblique Crunches FloorPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Obliques

How to perform Oblique Crunches Floor
  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
  3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor, rotating your torso to one side.
  4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the floor.
  5. Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each repetition.
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Ranked Oblique Crunches Floor Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Oblique Crunches Floor on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Best match
    Oblique Crunches

    1. Oblique Crunches

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put one hand beside your head and the other to the side against the floor.
    2. Make sure your feet are elevated and resting on a flat surface.
    3. Now lift the shoulder in which your hand is touching your head.
    4. Simply elevate your shoulder and body upward until you touch your knee. For example, if you have your right hand besides your head, then you want to elevate your body upwards until your right elbow touches your left knee. The same variation can be applied doing the inverse and using your left elbow to touch your right knee.
    5. After your knee touches your elbow, lower your body until you have reached the starting position.
    6. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (upward) part of the exercise.
    7. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  2. Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

    2. Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start 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. Place your left hand behind your head.
    3. Once 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. Crunch as high as you can, hold the contraction for a second and then slowly drop back down into the starting position.
    5. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (elevation) part of the exercise.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  3. Elbow-to-kneePlay demonstration

    3. Elbow-to-knee

    96% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ground, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
    4. At the same time, bring your left knee towards your right elbow, creating a twisting motion.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and extend your legs back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the movement, this time bringing your left elbow towards your right knee and your right knee towards your left elbow.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  4. Otis-up

    4. Otis-up

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Other
    • Advanced
    • Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Secure your feet and lay back on the floor. Your knees should be bent. Hold a weight with both hands to your chest. This will be your starting position.
    2. Initiate the movement by flexing the hips and spine to raise your torso up from the ground.
    3. As you move up, press the weight up so that it is above your head at the top of the movement.
    4. Return the weight to your chest as you reverse the sit-up motion, ensuring not to go all the way down to the floor.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  5. Lying Elbow To KneePlay demonstration

    5. Lying Elbow To Knee

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ground, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
    4. At the same time, extend your right leg straight out and lift it off the ground.
    5. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the movement, this time bringing your left elbow towards your right knee and extending your left leg.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  6. Twisted Leg RaisePlay demonstration

    Progression

    6. Twisted Leg Raise

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
    2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
    3. Engage your abs and lift both legs off the ground, keeping them straight.
    4. As you lift your legs, twist your hips to one side, bringing your legs towards your opposite shoulder.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the movement, this time twisting your hips to the other side.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  7. Alternate Heel TouchersPlay demonstration

    7. Alternate Heel Touchers

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Extend your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the ground.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your shoulders off the ground and reach your right hand towards your right heel.
    4. Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side, reaching your left hand towards your left heel.
    5. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  8. Oblique CrunchPlay demonstration

    Progression

    8. Oblique Crunch

    93% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, rotating your torso to one side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  9. Cross Body CrunchPlay demonstration

    9. Cross Body Crunch

    88% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground and twist to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
  10. 3/4 Sit-upPlay demonstration

    10. 3/4 Sit-up

    88% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Oblique Crunches Floor

Why You Might Need an Oblique Crunches Floor Alternative

You might substitute Oblique Crunches Floor for several reasons: lower-back pain from repeated lumbar flexion, limited range of motion, pregnancy, or the need for progression and variety. Alternatives let you shift stimulus from spinal flexion to rotation or anti-rotation, reducing compressive stress on the lumbar discs while keeping high oblique activation. Use cues such as maintaining a neutral spine and bracing the transverse abdominis so rotation comes from the thorax. Pick movements that limit hip-dominant compensation and that keep load through the obliques and internal rotators to protect the waist and improve functional trunk control.

Oblique Crunches Floor FAQ

What muscles does Oblique Crunches Floor work?

Oblique Crunches Floor primarily target the external and internal obliques, with the transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis acting as stabilizers. The movement emphasizes trunk rotation and lateral flexion while the hip flexors and rectus assist during the crunch phase.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Oblique Crunches Floor?

A side-plank hip dip is an effective bodyweight alternative because it loads the obliques through lateral flexion and dynamic control. Cue: stack your hips, dip them down and lift using the oblique on the top side while keeping a neutral spine to maximize oblique activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Oblique Crunches Floor?

Yes. You can hypertrophy the obliques using a variety of rotational and anti-rotation exercises by increasing volume, time under tension, or range of motion. Use slow eccentrics, unilateral holds, and progressive difficulty (longer holds, added reps, slower tempo) to increase mechanical tension and drive muscle growth.

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