Would you believe that the term "Love Handles" is only about 40 years old? Yes, it was my generation that helped bring our focus to what interferes with good health, good fitness, and definitely good loving. The Love Handles go by many different names but under this layer of fat, our "spare tire", there is actually a set of muscles called the obliques.
I chose not to focus on the "six pack abs" until a much later diary. But the obliques deserve attention now. Why? Because we are losing our ability to move in the transverse plane as we gain additional weight and the size of our love handles grow.
Join me below to discuss the obliques (primarily the external obliques) and also review some popular exercises to strengthen your core.
WHEE (Weight, Health, Eating and Exercise) is a community support diary for Kossacks who are currently or planning to start losing, gaining or maintaining their weight through diet and exercise or fitness. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are working on your weight or fitness, please -- join us! You can also click the WHEE tag to view all diary posts.
Below I have listed the current list of scheduled diaries for WHEE for the coming week. We need additional spots filled so please contribute if you will by responding to my tip jar and indicate a time and possible subject for a diary and I will make the change. Thanks!
Scheduled WHEE diaries:
February 1
Mon AM - NC Dem- Muscle of the Month- External Obliques
(monthly muscle diary, weekly diarist)
Mon PM - ???
February 2
Tues AM - ???
Tues PM - Clio2 (Kessler, Ch. 46) (weekly diary)
February 3
Wed AM - ???
Wed PM - Edward Spurlock (weekly diary)
February 4
Thurs AM - ???
Thurs PM - Sychotic1
February 5
Fri AM - ???
Fri PM - Wee Mama
February 6
Sat AM - ???
Sat PM - Edward Spurlock (Kessler, Ch. 47) (weekly diary)
February 7
Sun AM - ???
Sun PM - ???
February 8
Mon AM - NC Dem
Mon PM - ???
The Transverse Plane
As I mentioned above, our body is losing quickly the ability to move effectively in the transverse plane.
Now imagine that transverse plane rotating left and right. It rotates along that flat waist level plane as far as possible. For many of us, it is not very far if we make sure to keep our hips perfectly square to the front. Keep out hip rotation and shoulder rotation and it all has to come from the core around the stomach.
The Love Handles
The exercises we will discuss later in the diary will strengthen your core and gradually increase the size of the obliques. But I promise you that you will never see them unless through diet and cardio with a balance of strength training, you can lose the spare tire. In fact, it may make the extra fat around your middle even more apparent as the increased muscles size will only increase the bulge.
Some Graphics of both Internal and External Obliques
The first graphic below shows the external obliques. Notice that the muscle is very wide but it is also very thin. Also note the direction that the fibers run is from outside and downward as it moves toward the pubic area. The external obliques are layered over the internal obliques which are in the second photo.
All the abdominal muscles and the vast spider web of fascia in the core area acts as a corset around the stomach and mid and lower back. As I have often indicated on WHEE, the fascia has a strong tendency to gum together and lose its elastic ability if it is not exercised properly and often. The fascia that is intermingled with the core muscles runs in a large elastic mat of fibers that envelope muscles from the bottom of our feet (plantar fasciiitis anyone?) to the top of our head. The central control hub is around the core and if it is not flexible, it pulls against muscles in other areas and can cause great pain.
Please notice how the internal obliques which are not as superficial run in a perpendicular line to the external obliques. Thus they run upward from outside to inside.
The obliques perform the following functions:
They assist in rotating the upper body forward
They support and contain the abdominal contents...your guts
They assist with breathing
They rotate the hips and pelvis in opposite directions
They tilt the pelvis
They laterally flex the spine
Just ask any soccer player, tennis player, or baseball pitcher if the core is important. Even Tiger Woods might think about his core every once in a while.
Some thoughts on how to choose an exercise that is right for you
First, let me repeat that the exercises I might show are not a replacement for consistent full body exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses, pushups, pullups and certain twisting movements. For any particular muscle groups there are many ways to attack the issue. Machines, free weights, body weight only, elastic cords, swiss balls, bosu balls, and numbers of others. On each of these, there are multiple varieties like incline, decline..etc. Everyone's body type and ability to comfortably and safely assume certain positions are unique. One shown exercise doesn't fit all. You have to experiment with many and choose a program that works for you. Of course, it will work only a short time like 3-6 weeks before your body adapts and discontinues making progress. Then you need to change and challenge the body again.
OK, it is show time. Ready for some videos.
The first exercise video is an example of a "wood chop". It can be done with no weight as you just clasp your hands together. You also can use a 5-15# dumbbell or a medicine ball as shown. Please notice how he keeps his shoulders pulled back, core tight, knees flexible, and he doesn't dip his opposite shoulder too much to make the move. It is all about rotation of the core. Slow consistent motion is important until you master the technique.
This next video if it works properly is a commercial one from the folks that push (I mean sell) the Perfect Pushup. I have always wanted to try hanging leg raises with arm slings. I saw the entire system on craigslist last week and paid only $20. So far, I think it has been worth it. I have increased my ability to do leg raises from initially only 3-4 to now over 20. I still can't do the oblique crunches or the full leg lift but just a couple of times. This exercise is very challenging.
If you have a swiss ball, I would highly recommend trying this next exercise from Adam Ford at Ridgeline Fitness. You can do a variation of this on the floor without the ball but you have to use your core to pull your legs up into the 90 degree angle. With the ball it is much easier and allows you to really focus on keeping your shoulders down flat on the floor and rotating at the waist from side to side. Another reason I like using the ball is that it is much easier to excel air on your out breath and intensely pull your navel to your spine. You also can use your hand to feel the activation of the oblique muscles as you near the end of the movement as your knees almost hit the floor. The muscle tension is not nearly as intense but it is there. I use this exercise as much as a simple warmup and to begin to get my tight hip flexors to open up as I do for strength.
The next video shows a twist/roll on the ball at a pretty fast pace. It takes a few weeks to build to that pace. Some may be balance challenged and find this movement too daring. The ball offers support however and allows you to activate your obliques very effectively. Again notice how Adam keeps his feet flat on the floor as he moves from side to side. By locking down your feet, it requires that you twist at the waist.
In this video, the objective is simply to show how amazing it is to watch a fit person do this very hard exercise. I tried it yesterday for the first time and was able to SLOWLY do the drill for about 30-40 seconds. I can do a simple plank position with my feet on top of the ball and hold it for a couple of minutes but once you lower the feet to the sides and grip the ball with your feet, you are using lots of muscles in your legs as well to maintain your balance. I will eventually learn this movement but I will never be this fast or fluid.
Other diaries on muscles in this series:
Triceps
Deltoids
Glutes
Pecs