Core · Bodyweight
Oblique Crunch
How to do the oblique 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
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Core Hold
- Mechanic
- Accessory
How to do it
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest. Curl your torso up by contracting your abs, then lower back down.
- 1Lie on your side with knees bent and lift your upper torso toward your hip; you should feel your oblique contracting
- 2Keep your lower arm on the floor for support and use your top hand lightly behind your head
- 3Focus on squeezing through the side of your waist rather than pulling with your neck
Common mistakes
- Don't jerk your head or tug with your hand; let your abs do the work
- Avoid using momentum or swinging your shoulders
- Don't collapse through your lower back; keep the movement small and controlled
Muscles worked
The oblique crunch mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the obliques assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsMinor
Oblique Crunch strength standards
See how your oblique crunch ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronze6 reps
Silver14 reps
Gold50 reps
Platinum89 reps
Diamond111 reps
Champion132 reps
Find your rank
Enter your best set of reps.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the oblique 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 April 2026.