How to Do a Bicycle Crunch: Fitness Tips, Variations, and Common Mistakes

The bicycle crunch is an effective ab exercise, working not only the upper ab muscles, but also the deep abs and the obliques, or the ab muscles found on the sides of your torso.

If you want to work your core, this air bicycle maneuver is a great choice. It's a no-equipment, beginner's level exercise you can do anywhere. Use it as part of your core strengthening workout in addition to exercises with an ab machine or add it to a full body workout.

How to Do a Bicycle Crunch

Lie flat on the floor on a yoga mat, rug, or towel with your lower back pressed to the ground and knees bent. Your feet should be on the floor and your hands are behind your head.

1. Contract your core muscles, drawing in your abdomen to stabilize your spine.
2. Hold your head gently with your hands. Pull your shoulder blades back and slowly raise your knees to about a 90-degree angle, lifting your feet from the floor.
3. Exhale and slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion, bringing one knee up towards your armpit while straightening the other leg, keeping both elevated higher than your hips.
4. Rotate your torso so you can touch your elbow to the opposite knee as it comes up.
5. Twist to the other side, while drawing that knee towards your armpit and the other leg extended until your elbow touches the alternate knee.
6. Aim for 12 to 20 repetitions and three sets.

Benefits of the Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch is excellent for activating the rectus abdominis, your upper abdominal muscle, and it is second only to the captain's chair for activating the obliques.

Because you are raising your legs, you also engage the transverse abdominis, which is the deep ab muscle that is difficult to target. Besides working your abs, you will also be toning your thighs, as both your hamstrings and quads will be involved with bicycling.

A strong core may help you with preventing lower back pain, maintaining good posture, and performing well at your daily tasks. It is also a key component of good performance in sports and physical activities. Doing a variety of ab and core exercises ensures you are engaging your muscles in different ways.

Other Variations of the Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch is an exercise that can be done in many ways to make it more accessible as you build core strength or to work your muscles in different ways.

Decreasing the Difficulty Level

If you can't come fully up when you start, go as far as you can and return to the starting position. You can also modify the bicycle crunch by placing paper plates under your heels and sliding your legs forward and back without raising them.

In addition, you can try a crossover crunch. To perform this move you'll begin lying down, hands behind your head, and the ankle crossed over the knee of the other leg. You'll twist and perform crunches towards the knee before switching sides.

These modified moves may be beneficial if the bicycle crunch feels too difficult to perform.

Increasing the Difficulty Level

You can do the bicycle crunch slowly and pause for up to two seconds each time your elbow touches your knee. You can also try to maintain one leg straight close to the ground. Then, your legs would meet at the bottom before switching sides.

For an intermediate-level exercise, hold a medicine ball between your hands while performing the bicycle crunch.

Standing Bicycle Crunch

Another modification is the standing bicycle crunch. You perform it standing, bending at the waist and raising one leg to meet with the bent elbow of the opposite arm. In addition to building core strength, this move also helps you focus on your balance.

Common Mistakes

Avoid these errors so you get the most out of this exercise while preventing strain or injury.

Hip Rotation

Your torso should be doing all of the rotation. Your hips should not be rotating and you should be driving your legs straight forward and backward. Keep your lower back pressed into the floor during the maneuver.

Neck Straining

Don't pull your head forward so you can focus on your torso doing the work of rotation. If you find yourself straining with your head and neck to get your elbow to contact your knee, just rotate as far as you can with your torso.

Safety and Precautions

If you have any back or neck problems, talk to your healthcare provider or physical therapist about whether crunches are appropriate for you. If not done with proper form, they can compress the spine and stress the neck.

Avoid crunches after the first trimester of pregnancy. If you have any back problems, be aware of how your lower back is feeling and stop the exercise if you find yourself straining it or if you feel any pain.

The number of reps you do will depend on your experience level and overall goals.

Try It Out

Incorporate this move or similar ones into one of these popular workouts:

• Ab exercises for athletes
• Intermediate ab workout
• 20-minute core workout