Bicycle Crunches

• Obliques
• Intermediate
• Timed — 30 seconds per set

Bicycle crunches combine a crunch with a pedaling motion, working the obliques and rectus abdominis through rotation.

The rotation is what makes it valuable — and what most people rush. Drive the shoulder toward the opposite knee, not the elbow, and extend the free leg fully. Done slowly, it is one of the most complete floor ab exercises there is.

How to do it

1. Lie back, hands behind head, legs raised and bent.
2. Bring one elbow to the opposite knee while extending the other leg.
3. Alternate sides in a smooth pedaling motion.

Breathing: Breathe steadily; don't hold your breath.

Common mistakes

• Pulling on the back of the head with the hands to drag the elbow across.
• Dropping the shoulders back to the floor between each side.
• Pedaling the knees in tight circles without ever straightening a leg.

Form tips

• Rotate from the ribs so the shoulder travels toward the knee; jabbing the elbow across does nothing.
• Keep the extended leg high enough that your lower back stays flat on the floor.
• Slow the pedaling down, since speed here comes from momentum rather than the abs.

Muscles worked

Alternatives with the same focus

• Bent-Knee Windshield Wipers
• Heel Touches
• Russian Twist

Where it appears in the 30-day plan

Programs in the app that schedule this movement:

• Core & Abs
• Love Handles