Being a fitness enthusiast who loves lifting weights, running longer, jumping higher, and doing mobility exercises, I hammer my core constantly with various exercises, including unilateral movements.
Unilateral core exercises allow me to focus more on the weaker side, especially while training my obliques, and help me build a firm and defined midsection.
Whether you want to lift heavy, jump high, run fast, or throw javelin a long way, unilateral ab exercises can be a great addition to your training program.
In this article, I’ve shared as many as eight common but effective unilateral exercises that will help you bolster your abdominal muscles and build a chiseled core.
Contents
show
8 Best Unilateral Core Exercises to Build Strong Abs
- High-to-Low Chop
- One-arm Side Bend
- Side Plank Hip Taps
- Low-to-High Chop
- Single Heel Taps
- High Plank DB Drag
- Half-Kneeling Wood Chop
- Single-Leg Tuck-up
1. High-to-Low Chop
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Target Muscles: Obliques and Deltoids
- Equipment Needed: Cable Pulley
How-to Instructions
- Set the hook at a higher point and attach a rope handle.
- Stand sideways to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the rope with both hands, arms extended.
- Pull the rope diagonally down and across your body, pivoting your hips.
- Perform each rep in a controlled fashion, feeling the full contraction in your abdominals.
- Do as many reps and sets as possible, then switch to the opposite side.
Exercises Benefits
- It engages abs and obliques and helps build a firm midsection.1 A Novel Method for Assessing Muscle Power During the Standing Cable Wood Chop Exercise – Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- It also improves rotational strength, torso flexibility, and balance.
2. One-arm Side Bend
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscles: Obliques
- Equipment Needed: Cable Pulley/Dumbbell
How-to Instructions
- Attach a D-handle to a higher point on a cable pulley machine.
- Stand beside the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the handle with one hand and bend your torso until you feel the work in your oblique.
- Pause for a second, then return to the start and repeat for the desired times.
- Complete all reps, then switch sides to hit the opposite obliques.
Exercises Benefits
- Side bends target the oblique muscles, enhancing waistline definition.
- Strengthen the lateral core for better stability.
- Improve torso flexibility and balance.
3. Side Plank Hip Taps
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscles: Obliques and Delts
- Equipment Needed: None (Bodyweight Only)
How-to Instructions
- Lie on your right side on your elbow and ensure your body is in a straight line.
- Brace your abdominal muscles and lower your hip as close to the ground as possible.
- Lift your back to the starting position and perform the desired reps.
- Once you are done, repeat on the left side.
Exercises Benefits
- Side plank hip taps reinforce abdominal muscles, especially oblique, and help build a defined core.
- It also engages your shoulder muscles and helps develop a strong and flexible torso.
4. Low-to-High Chop
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Target Muscles: Obliques, Abs, and Shoulders
- Equipment Needed: Cable Pulley
How-to Instructions
- Adjust the pulley in the lower section and attach the D-handle.
- Stand sideways to the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the handle firmly with both hands and keep your arms straight.
- Pull the cable diagonally up and across your body as far as your arms can reach.
- Pause for one second, then return to the start.
- Do as many reps and sets as possible, then switch to the opposite side.
Exercises Benefits
- It targets the abdominal muscles from a different angle and helps build chiseled abs.
- The low-to-high chop also works on the anterior delts and improves shoulder health.
5. Single Heel Taps
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Target Muscles: Obliques
- Equipment Needed: Bodyweight Only
How-to Instructions
- Lie on the mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and face up.
- Brace your core and bend your torso to the right side to tap your heel with your right hand.
- Do as many times as possible, then repeat on the opposite side.
Exercises Benefits
- The heel tap is an isolation exercise that primarily hits the external and internal obliques and improves the appearance of your six-pack abs.
6. High Plank DB Drag
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscles: Abs, Obliques, and Shoulders
- Equipment Needed: Dumbbell
How-to Instructions
- Place a dumbbell on the floor and get into a high plank position. Ensure the dumbbell is close to your hands.
- Lift your one hand on the ground and drag the dumbbell to the opposite side.
- Return to the start and do it again with your opposite hand.
- Perform more reps with your weaker side to improve muscular symmetry.
Exercises Benefits
- The plank drag is a great addition to plank variation as it activates the entire abdominal muscles and helps increase core endurance.
- It also enhances your ability to hold your body in a single-arm plank position, which is excellent from a functional fitness point of view.
7. Half-Kneeling Wood Chop
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscles: Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, and Shoulders
- Equipment Needed: Dumbbell/Kettlebell/Weight Plate
How-to Instructions
- Sit in the lunge position with your one foot flat on the floor and your other leg bent.
- Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell, and keep your arm straight and close to your right hip.
- Keeping your torso upright and core tight, raise your arms diagonally up and across your body.
- Return to the start, perform as many reps as possible, and repeat on the opposite side.
Exercises Benefits
- It is a free-weight unilateral exercise that isolates the abs and oblique and builds up a solid core.
- This exercise also engages the shoulders and improves upper body flexibility.
8. Single-Leg Tuck-up
Exercise Overview
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscles: Lower Abs
- Equipment Needed: Bodyweight Only
How-to Instructions
- Lie on the floor with your arms straight by your sides.
- Lift your upper body and right leg off the floor and bring them toward each other until you feel the work in your abdominals.
- Return to the start and repeat on the opposite side.
Exercises Benefits
- Single-leg tuck-ups strengthen the lower abs.
- Promote coordination between the upper and lower body.
- Encourage functional fitness and body control.
References
- 1A Novel Method for Assessing Muscle Power During the Standing Cable Wood Chop Exercise – Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
