Exercise guide
Standing Obliques Slides
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Waist
This exercise isolates the obliques through lateral spinal flexion, improving core stability and lateral mobility. It effectively targets the internal and external obliques by moving the torso strictly through the frontal plane.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
- Let your arms hang naturally at your sides with your palms facing your outer thighs.
- Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades back and down to maintain a neutral, tall posture.
How to do it
- Exhale as you slowly slide your right hand down the side of your right leg, bending only at the waist.
- Lower your hand as far as comfortable toward your knee while keeping your hips stationary and your chest facing forward.
- Inhale as you use your obliques to pull your torso back to the starting upright position.
- Repeat the movement on the left side, alternating sides with a controlled, steady tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips and pelvis square; do not let them shift laterally as you bend.
- Ensure your shoulders stay in line with your hips—avoid leaning forward or rounding your back.
- Move slowly and with control, avoiding the use of momentum to 'bounce' at the bottom of the range.
- Keep your neck neutral, allowing your head to follow the natural curve of your spine.
Pro tips
- Imagine you are standing between two narrow panes of glass to ensure you only move directly to the side.
- Focus on 'pinching' the space between your lower ribs and your hip bone at the bottom of the movement for maximum contraction.
- Maintain constant tension in your core throughout the entire set rather than relaxing at the top.
Make it harder
- Increase the time under tension by using a 3-second lowering phase and a 2-second isometric hold at the bottom.
- Reach the opposite arm overhead in a 'C' shape as you slide down to increase the stretch and the lever length on the working muscles.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the standing obliques slides work?
- The standing obliques slides primarily targets the obliques, and also works the abs as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the standing obliques slides?
- The standing obliques slides requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the standing obliques slides good for beginners?
- The standing obliques slides is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.