How to: Do the Side Crunch

Side Crunch

Name:  Side Crunch
Also known as:  Oblique Crunch
Main muscles used:  Sides.
Other muscles used:  Stomach.
Top tips:

  • Crunch your upper body up in exactly the same way as a normal Abdominal Crunch.
  • Try to keep both knees together, and twist your hips and legs to one side, resting your knees on the floor.
  • When doing the crunch, your upper body should remain square, with both shoulders moving equal amounts at the same time.
  • Having your hands to the side of your body (as shown in the animation) is the “easy” version.  Moving your arms/hands further up the body makes the move harder.
  • Keep your eyes and chin pointing up towards the ceiling.
  • Keep your lower back pressed firmly in the floor.
  • Do equal amounts of work with your hips twisted to the right and left sides. 

Side Crunch

Common mistakes:

  • Not twisting the hips far enough around, so the knees are still pointing up in the air.
  • Not doing equal amounts of work on both side of the body.
  • Twisting the upper body and shoulders when crunching up.
  • Pressing the chin down onto the chest.

Comments: By twisting your hips, more work is being done by the oblique muscles that are found at the side of your stomach.  These tend to be a bit harder to do than normal Abdominal Crunches, because the muslces involved are used a lot less on a day-to-day basis. As with the normal Abdominal Crunch, this is only a small move.  Your upper body (chest and shoulders) will only tilt upwards a few degrees.  Don’t try to make is a Full Situp, and end up sitting vertically. Name: