Abdominal muscles

External obliques

Musculus obliquus externus abdominis

Your outer side abs help you turn your torso and keep it steady — for example when carrying a weight in one hand.

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Front view of the human muscular system with the external obliques highlighted
Front view · side abdominal wall

At a glance

Region
Side abdomen
Movement pattern
Rotation and lateral trunk stability
Joint
Spine, ribs, and pelvis

Exercises

Exercises for the side abs

Forearm side plank with straight stacked legs, elbow below the shoulder and lifted aligned hips.

No equipment · Mat

Straight-leg side plank

Hold a straight side-on body line supported on the forearm and feet to train lateral trunk stability.

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Standing Pallof press with a lateral chest-height cable and both hands extended in front of the torso.

Cable machine · Chest-height pulley · Handle

Cable Pallof press

Resist the cable's sideways pull while pressing the hands forward; the torso stays unrotated.

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Pallof press with both arms extended forward and a resistance band pulling sideways from a chest-height anchor.

Resistance band · Secure chest-height anchor

Pallof press with resistance band

Press your hands forward while a band pulls from the side. Your obliques work with the rest of your core to resist rotation.

View technique
Knee-supported side plank with the hips lifted, lower elbow beneath the shoulder and upper hand on the hip.

No equipment · Mat

Knee-supported side plank

Support yourself on one forearm and bent knees while your side abs help hold your hips up.

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Bicycle crunch with one knee drawn in, the other leg extended and the opposite shoulder turning toward the bent knee.

No equipment · Mat

Bicycle crunch

Slowly turn one shoulder toward the opposite knee while extending the other leg.

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Upright person taking a short walking step with one dumbbell beside the thigh, shoulders level and the other hand empty.

Dumbbell · Clear walking space

Dumbbell suitcase carry

Walk with a dumbbell in one hand while your trunk muscles resist leaning sideways.

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Understand the muscle

Two sides with diagonal fibres

The external oblique is the outermost layer of the side abdominal wall. It runs from the lower eight ribs toward the pelvis and abdominal midline. The internal oblique and transverse abdominal muscle lie beneath it.

Broad sheet of connective tissue

Abdominal aponeurosis

Aponeurosis musculi obliqui externi abdominis

The muscle continues into a flat tendon at the front of the abdomen. This connects it to the midline seam, the linea alba.

This is an attachment or connective-tissue structure, not a separate contractile muscle region. The exercises for the whole muscle train the associated movement.

The listed exercises involve this region alongside other parts of the muscle. A muscle head or deep portion is not necessarily trained in isolation.

Simply explained

What does the muscle do?

In simple terms, the external obliques help you twist, bend sideways, brace your core, and control your rib cage and pelvis.

Top view: the shoulder line rotates from the dashed start (1) to the teal finish (2) while the pelvis keeps its orientation.
Top view · pelvis stays steady

Turn the chest

Trunk rotation

Each side helps turn the chest in the opposite direction, together with the internal oblique on the other side. Bicycle crunches combine rotation with a small curl.

Front view: the torso moves from upright (1, dashed) into a side bend (2, teal) above a steady pelvis.
Front view · sideways movement

Bend to one side

Lateral flexion

The ribs move toward the pelvis on the same side. The obliques work with other trunk muscles to create and control this sideways bend.

Front view of a one-handed carry: one foot moves from the dashed start (1) to a lifted stepping position (2) while the loaded torso remains upright.
Front view · torso holds its position

Stay upright under load

Lateral trunk stability

During a suitcase carry, the side abs help resist sideways bending. The torso stays steady as the legs move, with several core muscles sharing the work.

Often works with
Sources & illustrations

Anatomy and technique: the references below. Region boundaries and movement diagrams are schematic. Exercise images are AI-generated illustrations.