Bicycle Crunch Guide: Master the Core Cycling Move
Learn how to perform the bicycle crunch with proper form to target your obliques and strengthen your entire core using only your bodyweight.
How to Perform
- Lie flat on your back with your lower back pressed into the floor and your hands placed lightly behind your head.
- Lift your shoulders off the ground into a slight crunch position while raising your feet so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
- Simultaneously bring your right elbow toward your left knee by rotating your torso while extending your right leg straight out at a 45-degree angle.
- Switch sides by bringing your left elbow toward your right knee while extending the left leg, mimicking a pedaling motion.
- Maintain a steady rhythm and ensure your shoulder blades remain off the mat throughout the entire set.
- Focus on bringing the shoulder toward the knee rather than just pulling on the elbow to maximize core engagement.
Common Mistakes
- Pulling on the neck with the hands
- Arching the lower back off the floor
- Moving too fast and using momentum instead of muscle tension
- Touching elbows to knees by collapsing the chest
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Obliquus externus abdominis
Stabilizers
- Rectus abdominis
- Iliopsoas
- Transverse abdominis
Related Guides
- 3008 Abdominal Crunch — Core
- Ab Roller — Core
- Ab wheel — Core
Obliquus externus abdominis · Core