Training Obliques? I never have and wonder if this is a mistake?

[Deicide]

What is the resident expert opinion?

[wes]

I never do any direct oblique training.

I feel that training them definately makes the waist appear larger detracting from shoulder width and decreasing chest to waist differential.

I have really good abs when in lean condition and obliques get worked enough from regular ab work,squats,and any overhead pressing exercise.

Just my opinion.

[dov]

I never do any direct oblique training.

I feel that training them definately makes the waist appear larger detracting from shoulder width and decreasing chest to waist differential.

I have really good abs when in lean condition and obliques get worked enough from regular ab work,squats,and any overhead pressing exercise.

Just my opinion.

agreed...my ab training always contains bicycles...pulling shoulder to opposite knee with other leg extended..involves obliques indirectly

[Detroit Muscle]

I used to do insane side-bends using 45lbs plates and a lot of ab exercises with weights...probably my biggest weightlifting mistakes ever.  I was trying to get those huge, blocky abs with detailed obliques and didn't realize I was only making my waist too big.  Now I don't train obliques or abs at all to keep the waist tight.

[LatsMcGee]

One of the dumbest things you can do IMO. 

[omgsoswole]

It's always a laugh when you see people in the gym training their obliques with a dumbell in each hand, attempting to train both obliques in the same set.  LOL at them not realising that the dumbell in one hand cancels out the weight on the other hand LOL.

[JasonH]

I've never trained obliques in my life - I just concentrate on crunches and reverse crunches for abs and that's it.

Got to admit I love the ab machine where you can train abs under stress with the weight stack but my current place doesn't have one of these - it's the one piece of equipment it's missing. The abs and obliques (indirectly) get a great workout on one of those.

[Emmortal]

I've never trained obliques in my life - I just concentrate on crunches and reverse crunches for abs and that's it.

Got to admit I love the ab machine where you can train abs under stress with the weight stack but my current place doesn't have one of these - it's the one piece of equipment it's missing. The abs and obliques (indirectly) get a great workout on one of those.

You can just get on the floor in a praying position and use a cable pulldown, same effect.

[JasonH]

You can just get on the floor in a praying position and use a cable pulldown, same effect.

Yeah I know - I've done those and it's not the same. Still good though.

[BFP]

I train mine all of the time.  Heavy too, and havent really noticed an increase in waist size either.

Jason