Obliques: To lift or not to lift, that is the question

[Flex]

i'd like to improve on my obliques (wouldnt everyone). my abs are coming in nicely (which is suprising cuz i eat like a pig now cuz i'm trying to put on size), and i am around 10% bf. how can i get more of a V taper?

I have heard mixed reviews....

I read in mags and videos that you can do twists, side bends, twisting crunches etc. w/ high reps to tone them down.

On the other hand, my boys (who do competitions) say not to train the obliques at all because alls that does is build thicker obiques no matter how high the reps. They say just stick with normal ab routines (crunches, leg raises etc.), and that it is the diet/cardio that will bring your obliques down.

Now i know people are retarded (just self-actualizing myself from my other post for all you psych majors) when i see guys holding like 80lb dumbells and bending side to side. Are they nuts? Are they trying to build massive, bulky wastes?

What's the answer to a greater V taper?............

 

[shortstuff]

I do obliques about once a week, you can not totally ignore and plus you will utilize them in some of your other ab movements but you also are trying to stay symetrical so you can not leave out one body part. You can go either way, high rep or ow rep, I prefer high rep so as to work but not over work and build too much size. Then after a while see how you look and then reconsider. It is all personal preference.

 

[Flex]

thanks shorty (and nice tummy)...
what excersizes do you recommend....i use to just stand up straight, then bend to one side as far down as i can go, pull up with the opposite oblique and repeat for like 25x to each side....

 

[fluffy]

i wouldn't do them at all. i don't think you can do enough high reps to achieve the "marathon runner leg" effects -- you'll just hypertrophy whatever type I fibers are there and the obliques will still get bigger. if you think of what runners do it's like 1000+ rep sets for them to make their legs thinner. i dont think you'll be doing that with your obliques

the obliques build enough functional strength from core exercises like squat and deadlift and get hit in other ab work if you do it. i would not target them directly at all

 

[shortstuff]

One exercise once a week with no weight is fine, try for yourself flex and see what you like. For some it is not worth it and for some they always incorporate it in, nothing is the same for everyone. I usually do a hanging leg raise for the obliques, twist to each side for like 10-15 each side, or i do a weighted oblique raise crunch, or a simple oblique crunch. The obliques don't just run up and down so the more twisting motions hit more of the oblique regions. Just try and you can not be hurt.

 

[Flex]

k, i'll give it a shot. gotta get those ob's ready for the Mr. O in Oct

 

[Rissole]

Whats the big deal to add some twisting movements in while you do your ab work I like working my obliques and feel that doing so has made my deads go up (528lbs)
I like to do side moves on the fitball then switch to crunches and then straight into hovers Killer ab superset