Fraser Wilson’s at-Home Upper Body Workout for Ripped Obliques Is a Deadly

Attaining shredded abs is an aspiration among many men. Besides accentuating your physique, they’re a sign of great upper body strength. That’s why workouts that specifically target the abdominal muscles are all the rage right now. However, a lot of people tend to overlook the surrounding areas, such as the obliques, which play just as important a role in sculpting your stomach into shape.

Since the obliques are situated on your sides, they’re not easily reachable with basic ab exercises. It takes some twisting and turning of the torso to be able to activate them. For this reason, fitness YouTuber Fraser Wilson has devised a ten-minute, at-home ab workout featuring movements where the oblique muscles also come into play. He demonstrates these core-strengthening exercises in a video posted on his channel.

AskMen India shares the 10 exercises from Fraser Wilson oblique workout:

Lying leg raises

Lying leg raises are an effective core-strengthening exercise. When you lift your lower body off the floor, you put direct pressure on your abdominal muscles and whip them into shape. Fraser goes one step further by twisting his hips to the side with every repetition. This helps sharpen the oblique muscles situated on the sides of his stomach.

Follow these steps:

• Lie down on the floor.
• Place your palms under your back.
• Keep your knees straight.
• Lift your legs off the floor.
• Bring them in line with your hips.
• Alternately twist your hips to the side.
• Bring your legs back on the floor.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.

Side oblique crunches

Crunches are a wonderful upper body workout that specifically target your abdominal muscles as you lift and lower your torso in an alternate motion. However, when you do this exercise while lying down on one side like Fraser has, you put direct pressure on your oblique muscles and sculpt them into shape.

Follow these steps:

• Lie down on your left side.
• Place your right palm at the back of your head.
• Straighten your legs.
• Bend your right leg and bring it close to your chest.
• Simultaneously, raise your upper body slightly off the floor.
• Repeat in a seamless motion,
• Switch over to your right side.

Russian twists

Russian twists are another upper body exercise that accentuate your abs. As you twist your torso to the sides while sitting on the floor, you stretch the oblique muscles situated in the surrounding areas of your stomach. You must make sure that your back is straight and your shoulders relaxed as you lean slightly behind for this movement.

Follow these steps:

• Sit down on the floor.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Lift your feet slightly off the floor.
• Straighten your spine and lean slightly back.
• Twist your torso to the sides in an alternate motion.

Plank knee-in twists

Plank knee-in twists make for a great full-body workout. As you position yourself in the horizontal plane, you contract your core muscles and strengthen them as a result. The alternate lifting and bending of your legs tones your thighs and glutes. Twisting your knees in the opposite direction with each repetition sharpens the oblique muscles effectively.

Follow these steps:

• Go into a push-up position.
• Place your palms firmly on the floor in line with your shoulders.
• Keep your knees straight.
• Bring your head, neck, back and hips in one straight line.
• Lift your right leg as high as you can from your hips.
• Bend your right knee and bring it closer to your chest.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.
• Switch over to your left leg.

Plank rotations

This exercise calls for immense core strength and endurance. As you position yourself in the horizontal plane, you work on multiple muscle groups including the arms, abs, chest and back. If this isn’t tough already, plank rotations involve twisting your body, from head to toe, to the side. This specifically strengthens your oblique muscles.

Follow these steps:

• Go into a push-up position.
• Place your arms firmly on the floor in line with your shoulders.
• Bring your head, neck, back and hips in one straight line.
• Place your right forearm flat on the floor.
• Twist your body to the left from head to toe.
• Place your left forearm flat on the floor.
• Twist your body to the right from head to toe.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.

Heel taps

Heel taps are another exercise that stretch your oblique muscles effectively. As you lie down on your back and place your feet firmly on the floor, you leave room for your upper body to bend to the sides. When you do this in alternate motion, you activate the muscles on the sides of your abs and sculpt them into shape.

Follow these steps:

• Lie down on your back.
• Bend your knees and place your feet firmly on the floor.
• Keep some distance between your lower and upper body.
• Touch your right heel with your right palm.
• Touch your left heel with your left palm.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.

V-sit crunches

V-sit crunches are an exercise that work on your oblique muscles with the help of both your upper and lower body. Once you sit down on the floor, they require you to bend and straighten your legs in an alternate motion. This sharpens your lower abs. Simultaneously, you must lean and lift and lower your torso to put a direct pressure to accentuate your upper body physique.

Follow these steps:

• Sit down on the floor.
• Lift your feet slightly off the floor.
• Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
• Straighten your legs and lean back with your upper body.
• Bend your knees and bring your torso back to its centre.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.

Cross knee raises

Cross knee raises benefit both your upper and lower body. As you bend your knee and bring it closer to your chest, you stretch and strengthen the oblique muscles situated on the sides of your stomach. On the other hand, when you straighten your legs at the back, you work a completely different set of muscles, which includes your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps.

Follow these steps:

• Stand with your feet placed together.
• Keep your knees straight.
• Bend your right leg and bring it up to hip level.
• Straighten your right leg as far behind on the floor as possible.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.
• Switch over to your left leg.

Rotational punches

Rotational punches are another variation of russian twists. They require you to twist your torso to the sides in an alternate motion as you sit on the floor, so as to sharpen the oblique muscles. They also involve punching in the opposite direction, which in turn, works on your arm strength and shoulder stability. Hence, they’re an effective upper body exercise.

Follow these steps:

• Sit down on the floor.
• Keep your knees slightly bent.
• Lean slightly back with your upper body.
• Twist your torso to the right.
• Punch your left arm in that direction.
• Twist your torso to the left.
• Punch your right arm in that direction.
• Repeat in a seamless motion.

Mountain climbers

Mountain climbers work wonders for your lower body strength and flexibility. However, your upper body benefits from them provided you tuck your knees as close to your chest as you can. Fraser takes the movement a notch higher by twisting his hips with every repetition, such that the oblique muscles are specifically targeted.

Follow these steps:

• Go into a push-up position.
• Place your arms firmly on the floor in line with your shoulders.
• Straighten your knees.
• Bring your head, neck, back and hips in one straight line.
• Bend your right knee towards the left side of your chest.
• Straighten your right knee.
• Bend your left knee towards the right side of your chest.
• Straight your left knee.
• Repeat in a quick and seamless motion.

Incorporate these exercises into your ab workout and get your obliques to look ripped!

Cover artwork by Dhaval Punatar/AskMen India

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