Core · Bodyweight
Lying Obliques Crunch
How to do the lying obliques crunch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with your knees bent and dropped to one side so your hips are rotated. Place your hands by your head and crunch your shoulders up toward your knees, squeezing the side of your waist. Lower with control, finish your reps, then switch sides.
- 1Feel the obliques on the down side contract as you crunch
- 2Keep your lower back grounded and curl from the rib cage
- 3Lead with your shoulder, not your elbow or neck
Common mistakes
- Don't pull on your head or yank your neck forward
- Avoid using momentum to bounce up
- Don't lift your hips off the floor
Muscles worked
The lying obliques crunch mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs and lower abs assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the lying obliques crunch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.