Abs & core
Bicycle Crunches
The classic twisting crunch: elbow toward the opposite knee while the other leg straightens. It works the front of your abs and your obliques.
- Works
- Core, obliques, hip flexors
- Equipment
- A mat
- Load
- Bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Lie on your back with your hands lightly behind your head. Press your lower back into the floor and lift your legs, knees bent at 90 degrees.
- 2Curl your head and shoulders off the floor.
- 3Turn your right elbow toward your left knee as you pull that knee in and straighten your right leg.
- 4Switch sides: left elbow toward right knee, left leg straight. Keep alternating.
Cues
- Lower back stays pressed into the floor.
- Turn from your ribs, not your elbows.
- Slow is harder than fast. Own each twist.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on your head. Hands rest lightly behind your head. The lift comes from your abs, not your arms.
- Lower back arching off the floor. Straighten your leg higher, toward the ceiling, so it's easier to keep your back down.
- Flapping your elbows. Twist your shoulder toward the knee. If only your elbow moves, your abs aren't doing the work.
Easier
Point your straight leg higher toward the ceiling, or move slower with smaller twists.
Harder
Hold each twist for 2 seconds, or lower your straight leg closer to the floor while keeping your back down.
Try it: 3 rounds of 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off.
Do bicycle crunches work your obliques?
Yes. The twist works your obliques, the muscles on the sides of your waist, along with the front of your abs. Slow, full twists work them more than fast, small ones.
