HELP! Oblique tips and exercises(imbalance due to surgery)

[KSigColin]

I am looking for some advice on the best exercises to strengthen obliques. When I was 10 I had a hernia repair on my left side of my abdomen, leaving me with a weak abdominal wall and a large bulge would appear when flexed. It seems to be strengthening slowly and the bulge is becoming less noticable.

Im looking for tips on:
-How often to Work them
-High Weight or Repetition?
-Types of exercises

I go to a large gym with just about every machine, so any exercises are welcomed.
-Thank you-

[TheDLink]

you should work on high rep and static hold exercises. i feel like doing weighted exercises when you already know your abdominal walls are weak could lead to a bad situation, you know? sit ups, crunches, unweighted russian twists, oblique sit ups, and leg raises all at high reps is a good place to start. also incorporate planks (front and side) which is really great for hardening. then when you know you feel strong enough hit them up with some low weights.

[KSigColin]

Thanks, anyone else?

[coachpalmz]

Thanks, anyone else?

First, you need to make sure it's safe for you to do these kinds of exercises. You do not want to re-injure your hernia in any way. In my opinion, hanging oblique leg raises are the best. But, you need the right equipment...you need straps to hang from. You don't want to just hang from a pull up bar because your grip will fail before your abs do. You also don't want to use one of old nautilus stands that let you hang, but support your forearms and lower back. This support makes your core more stable and the exercise less effective. Plank variations are really good too. Get in the Side plank position where your body is 45 degrees and then lift your hips up toward the ceiling as high as you can and squeeze. You'll feel it in your side that is facing the floor. Do 3 sets of 20 and you'll be burning like hell. Super-set these with the hanging ones and you'll see results.