How to Do a Physio Ball Exercise to Strengthen Oblique Muscles

The oblique muscles in the abdomen are those on the sides of the upper and lower abdominal muscles. You need to strengthen these muscles in order to have a strong over-all core. There are many exercises that can help work the oblique muscles, but using a physio ball, an inflatable exercise ball, can give you better results with a wider range of motion in each rep.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Place the physio ball on the ground, and position yourself on top of the ball with your side resting on the ball. Your chest and upper body should be positioned to where they are hanging off the ball itself, with the ball covering your entire side from your hip to the bottom of your rib cage.
2. Position your feet in a staggered manner to give yourself the most stability on the physio ball. Place the foot from the upper leg on the floor in front of the knee of the bottom leg. The upper knee should be bent to accommodate this position. The bottom leg should remain straight, with both feet planted firmly on the ground facing forward.
3. Bend your elbows, place your fingers on the back of your head, and make sure that your elbows stay in line with your ears. You should not see your elbows during the physio ball oblique crunches.
4. Use your oblique muscles on the side of the abdomen that is not touching the physio ball to lift your upper body from the original position. This side crunch should engage only the abdominal muscles on that side, and should not strain the back. If you feel a strain in any other part of your body, you should adjust your position until the crunch engages only those oblique muscles.
5. Release the crunch slowly, and return to your starting position. As you release the crunch, keep the oblique muscles engaged. The more you engage these muscles during the physio ball oblique crunch, the better.
6. Repeat these crunches, on each side, 12 to 15 times, and do at least two to three repetitions. The physio ball oblique crunch should be done on non-consecutive days three to four times per week.