Twisting From Your Center

Up next we have the Internal Obliques, the deeper layer of your lateral abdominals called the Obliques.

Your internal and external obliques provide vital support for the low back, hips, ribcage, and shoulders. When the obliques are long and strong they can prevent strain during our daily lives by providing the deep structural support needed to do things like twisting, lifting, and even something as simple as rolling over in bed at night.

Imbalances in the obliques can develop from repetitive, asymmetrical movements, and poor postural habits that cause one side to become tighter than the other, which in turn will pull the ribcage into rotation, leading to a cascade of postural imbalances and pain.

In the method below we strengthen and lengthen the obliques by utilizing the eccentric phase of muscle contraction (where you strengthen and lengthen at the same time) as you slowly twist the legs to the side without letting gravity pull them to the floor. The yummiest part is when you slowly draw the legs out of the twist while lifting the opposite arm to help connect the obliques to the arm lines. When practiced with patience and focus this method can feel like a soothing massage for core, low back, and hips.

Want to take it to the next level? Try holding a small 2-5 lb weight in the hand that is lifting a lower during the twist!

The internal and external obliques are also apart of a fascial line called The Spiral Line. This line criss crosses the body at multiple intersections assisting with twisting the body through different planes of movement and providing support. In the abdomen the spiral line connects the external obliques from one side to the deeper layer of the internal obliques on the other side. Strengthening this line through the eccentric phase of the muscle contraction is one of my favorite ways to establish balance and strength to the core of the Spiral Line.

Try out the video below to create both length and strength in your Spiral Core.