All About the Obliques

The obliques are underrated. If they're tight, everything else can be affected. Your obliques are responsible for both good hip function and shoulder function. If they're not able to do their job correctly, you'll experience a loss of strength, loss of performance and, in some cases, nagging pains that soon become injuries.

The Anchored Side Stretch

This stretch can help improve shoulder mobility, leg length discrepancies, and chronic lower back pain. Even if you have none of these issues, doing this stretch at the start and end of your workout will get you more mobile and help with recovery.

How To Do It

1. Stand close to a rig or doorframe.
2. Place the inside hand on the rig/wall beside your hip, knuckles forward.
3. Reach up and over with the outside hand and grab behind the pole/doorframe.
4. Lean out away from the rig/wall into the area you wish to stretch. Breathe.
5. Hold, sway, or change hand or foot positioning slightly to get the best out of it.
6. Repeat on the other side.