• FitZip
  • Posts
  • This Core Muscle Gets Ignored — But Does All the Work

This Core Muscle Gets Ignored — But Does All the Work

November 10, 2025

Wanted to start off by letting you guys know I haven’t sent out a newsletter in a few weeks because Fitzip was moving to a different state! But I’m finally getting settled in now and wanted to talk about a core muscle that gets ignored…

Most people think "core training" means crunches, sit-ups, or planks.

But there’s a key part of your core that rarely gets mentioned — and it’s arguably the most important:

Your obliques.

Yup, those side abs that rarely get direct attention in training… yet they’re responsible for way more than just rotation.

Your obliques help with:

  • Rotational strength (which we use in real life constantly)

  • Stabilizing your spine under load

  • Transferring force between your upper and lower body

  • Supporting posture and keeping your pelvis aligned

When these muscles are weak, your body starts compensating in all the wrong places — especially the lower back and hips.

That’s when movement feels off, stiffness creeps in, and performance stalls.

And here’s the kicker:

Even people who work out regularly are often missing this. If your training is mostly forward and backward — squats, deadlifts, machines, even planks — your obliques may still be sleeping on the job.

One of the ways you can fix this is with the pallof press

This is one of the most underrated core moves out there — simple, safe, and brutally effective for waking up your obliques and improving spinal stability.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Anchor a resistance band (or use a cable) at chest height

  2. Stand perpendicular to the anchor, feet shoulder-width apart

  3. Hold the handle or band at your chest with both hands

  4. Press straight out in front of you and hold — resist the urge to rotate

  5. Slowly bring it back in

  6. Perform 10–12 slow reps per side

You’ll instantly feel your obliques fire up to keep you stable — and the more controlled you go, the harder they work.

When you train your obliques, you build a core that actually functions better — and that has a ripple effect on everything from strength to athleticism to daily movement.

Let me know if you want more under-the-radar movements like this — I’ve got a whole stack of ‘em that make a big difference.

Have a great day!

— FitZip

P.s. - If you want a full blueprint on how to create a body that’s designed for longevity, you can check out my ebook I created right here 👇