The internal oblique or minor oblique muscle, as it is also known, is part of the muscles of the anterolateral area of the abdomen.
Its name comes from the Latin musculus obliqus internus abdominis.
It is a enormous muscle, with a flattened look and depending on its origin and insertion.
We can be said that it combines the torso with the pelvis.
The internal oblique, with one another with the external oblique muscle and the transverse abdominal muscle make up the muscle group called broad abdominal muscles.
It is also bit of the expiratory muscles.
The internal oblique muscle is lying beneath the external or greater oblique and overhead the transverse abdominis muscle.
This muscle is behold to be the resumption of the internal intercostals.
It is a paired muscle that is symmetrically located one on each side of the body.
Fibers lying laterally are fleshy and those located medially are aponeurotic.
Its fibers project obliquely and upward.
The muscle is covered by a membrane called the aponeurosis in its anterior part that reaches the linea alba.
Its free lower border adjoins the anterior part of the deep inguinal ring.
The first function of this muscle is:
Provide support and protection to the internal organs of the abdomen, since together with the rest of the anterolateral muscles of the abdomen they form a resistant three-layer girdle.
The second function of this muscle is:
Flexes and rotates the trunk, and thirdly, it assists in expiratory movements and necessary abdominal contractions during urination, defecation, and childbirth.
Origin:
Its originated at the iliac crest through its external border, collaborating in the formation of the inguinal ligament and the lumbar fascia.
Insertion:
it is inserted in the cartilage of the last ribs 10-12, the crest of the pubis, the pectineal line and the linea alba.
It joins the pectineal line thanks to the transverse aponeurosis.
What is the fibers direction of internal oblique muscle?
- Upwards
- Forwards
- Medially
Innervation:
The internal oblique muscle reaches the lower intercostal nerves Thoracoabdominal nn. (T7-T11), Subcostal n. (T12), Iliohypogastric n. (L1) and Ilioinguinal n. (L1).
Irrigation:
The internal oblique muscle is supplied by the subcostal arteries.
Features:
It is an expiratory muscle, because during the release of air it compresses the chest at its lower end while the pelvis and spine remain fixed.
In this sense, it works in conjunction with the rest of the expiratory muscles:
- Internal intercostal muscles.
- External oblique
- Levator ani.
- Triangular sternum.
- Rectus abdominis.
The layered structural design that makes up the anterolateral abdominal muscles, including the internal oblique, forms a strong girdle that supports and protects internal organs.
When the internal oblique muscle contracts in the company of its counterpart, they can flex the spine
When they act separately they are able to tilt the trunk to one side or the other, depending on the muscle that is active.
They can also rotate the chest.
This muscle plays a very important role in maintaining intra-abdominal pressure when urinating, defecating, and giving birth.
How do you activate your (IOM)?
- In a seated position, Get organized, Engage your core.
- Make sure your shoulder blades are down and back.
- Bring your hands up to your chest.
- If I need to turn on my right, I will rotate to the right and crunch down.
- Then come up and go back to center.
- Make sure that you stay organized rotate and crunch.
- If you want to take your opposite hand to feel get some feedback , so rotate then crunch and come back up
What is the exercises that involve internal oblique muscle?
Crunch on a flat bench with hips flexed to 90 degrees and feet in suspension
- Supine on your back on a bench
- Your both hips should be flexed at 90 ° and the legs in suspension.
- The angle at the hips should remain constant throughout the exercise.
- The portion of the body initially in contact with the bench goes from the lower angle of the shoulder blades to the buttocks.
- The shoulder blades and head are hanging and tilted downwards in order to fully stretch the rectus abdominis.
- Hands behind your head with shoulders fully flexed and elbows extended.
- You should performing a spine flexion taking care to keep the lower back in contact with the bench for the duration of the exercise.
- The distance between the chin and the sternum should remain as constant as possible.
- The range of motion is reduced, as lifting the back too much ends up flexing the hip as well, turning the crunch into a sit up.
- In case the lower back comes off the bench during the execution of the exercise, despite the athlete’s commitment to avoid it, it is necessary to switch to a less demanding variant of crunch.
- To assure the work of the oblique abdominals it is possible to perform the concentric phase of the movement by twisting the torso towards the right side.
Reverse parallel crunch
- You should start with suspending at the parallels.
- The elbows and forearms resting on them while the hands grasp them.
- The torso and neck are immobile.
- Your back should be back is extended,
- The hips can be extended or bent 90 ° .
- Your knees can be extended or flexed.
- Start with a complete flexion of the hips.
- Then flexion of the lumbar spine.
Reverse Crunch on Bench Press
- Start with supine on your back on a floor
- Your hips should be flexed to 90 °.
- And your both legs parallel.
- Also knees flexed or extended.
- The hands can grasp a fixed point, if the exercise is hard to perform.
- You should flex the spine by pushing the knees or feet, upwards or towards the head.
- In case you decide to push up, the hips extend slightly during the concentric phase.
Lateral lunges with dumbbells
- Start with standing upright and your dumbbells in hand.
- The space between the feet is wider than the space between the shoulders.
- The angle of the feet is generally in a range between 34 and 50 degrees.
- Stretch your arms out at the sides.
- You should flex the knee, hip.
- Dorsiflex at the level of the ankle of one leg.
- All accompanied by a twist of the torso towards the side of the trained leg.
- The other leg remains extended with the foot resting entirely on the ground.
- This movement generally ends when the angle of knee at 90 degrees.
- At this point, without tugging, extend hip.
