Deep oblique engagement Your obliques are the rotational muscles in your midsection. You have internal and external obliques, and they sit down the sides of your torso. They are often missed in ab exercises like crunches and sit-ups, but they are essential for better strength and balance, as well as building rotational power. The rotation in this exercise forces the internal and external obliques to work in this move, which helps build on your deep oblique strength. Again, the key is to move slowly, as this keeps the obliques under tension for longer. I like to pause in the ‘crunch’ element of