Do the oblique cable crunch toward the end of your ab workout. If oblique training is a priority, do this exercise first.
Precede or follow the oblique cable crunch with exercises that target the upper abs, such as crunches, and exercises that hit the lower abs, such as hanging knee raises. How: Do 2-3 sets of 10-25 reps.
Do all repetitions for one side, then change your body position by turning 45 degrees to the right of the cable apparatus and repeat.
Turning away from the cable apparatus allows a greater range of motion than most crunch exercises. In this position, you’re able to arch your back before flexing your spine, placing the abdominal muscles on stretch so they can contract with greater force.
To prevent the buildup of shearing forces, concentrate on first flexing your spine as in a regular cable crunch and then twisting in the lower half of the movement. This will create a stronger contraction of the obliques, which is the main purpose of the rotation.
At the start, angle your torso enough that you feel tension on your abdominals. There should never be a point at which you feel the muscle tension fully release.
Be sure to begin with a fairly light weight so you can concentrate on perfecting the movement first. Of course, you need to choose a weight heavy enough to bring your body back to the starting position.
You can also do this exercise by directly facing the cable apparatus. Start by crunching down toward your knees as in a regular cable crunch, but twist your spine halfway through the movement to bring one elbow toward the opposite knee. This allows you to do all reps for one side or alternate sides every other repetition.
