Five minutes might not seem like enough time to make a difference in your fitness, but when it comes to targeting those stubborn obliques, a quick and focused workout can be surprisingly effective. Coach Raneir Pollard’s five-minute ab session is proof that you don’t need a marathon gym session to engage your core—just smart, intentional movements that pack a punch in a short amount of time. Whether you're squeezing it in as a finisher after a longer workout or using it as a morning energy boost, this routine is designed to fire up your side muscles without eating up your schedule.
What makes this workout stand out is its efficiency. Instead of dragging through endless crunches, Pollard structures the session like "exercise snacking"—short bursts of high-quality movement that add up over time. With the help of trainers Paulyn Baens and Jai Jordan, the routine zeroes in on the obliques, the muscles that wrap around your torso and play a crucial role in stability, rotation, and overall core strength. And because it’s only five minutes, there’s no excuse to skip it—even on your busiest days.
Windshield Wipers: The Warm-Up That Works
The workout kicks off with windshield wipers, a dynamic movement that immediately wakes up the obliques. Lying on your back with legs raised, you’ll rotate your knees side to side like—you guessed it—windshield wipers. Pollard offers modifications, making it accessible whether you're a beginner or looking for more intensity. Extending one leg at a time increases the challenge, while keeping both legs bent lowers the difficulty. The key here is controlled motion—no swinging or letting momentum do the work. This ensures your obliques are doing the heavy lifting, not your hip flexors.
Crossbody Crunches: Precision Over Speed
Next up are crossbody crunch sit-ups, where form is everything. Instead of mindlessly cranking out reps, Pollard emphasizes slow, deliberate movement. The goal is to twist your torso, bringing your elbow toward the opposite knee while keeping your lower back grounded on the way down. A common mistake? Yanking on the neck or rushing the motion, which shifts the work away from the abs. By staying controlled, you maximize tension on the obliques, making every rep count. For an extra burn, try holding a light weight or pausing at the top of each crunch.
Crab Bridges: The Sneaky Core Challenge
Just when you think you’ve got the hang of it, Pollard introduces crab bridge variations—a deceptively tough move that targets the obliques from a different angle. Starting in a tabletop position (hands and feet on the floor, hips lifted), you’ll shift your weight side to side, almost like a crab scuttling sideways. This not only fires up the obliques but also engages the glutes and shoulders for full-body stability. If regular crab bridges feel too easy, try lifting one leg or holding each pulse for a few seconds. It’s a small tweak with a big payoff.
Why This Workout Works
The beauty of this routine lies in its simplicity. There’s no fancy equipment needed—just a mat (or a soft surface) and enough space to move. Because it’s so short, it’s easy to repeat multiple times throughout the day, stacking the benefits without burnout. And while it’s designed as a standalone oblique blast, it pairs perfectly with other workouts. Try it post-run to counterbalance all that forward motion, or tack it onto a upper-body session for a full-core finisher.
Since the video doesn’t include a cooldown, we recommend pairing it with a quick stretching sequence—think seated twists and side bends—to keep your obliques happy and mobile. And if you’re hooked on the five-minute format, Pollard and the PS Fit team have plenty more where this came from, from dance breaks to resistance training snippets.
At the end of the day, fitness doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. A five-minute workout might not replace your regular routine, but it’s a powerful tool to stay consistent, especially when life gets hectic. So next time you’re short on time but want to feel the burn, give those oblikes some love—you’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish in just 300 seconds.
