This article was co-authored by Dean Theriot and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Dean Theriot is a Personal Trainer and the Owner of Timberline Fitness in Houston, Texas. With over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, Dean specializes in personal, group, and sport-specific training. Dean holds a BS in Exercise Physiology from LSU. Dean combines resistance and cardiovascular training with pilates exercises for comprehensive workouts for his clients. His sport-specific training includes football, basketball, and baseball.
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Crunches are a vital part of any muscle-building workout and bicycle crunches are one of the most challenging types. Although they look simple, bicycle crunches work your lower, middle, and upper abs while strengthening your quads and hamstrings. Fortunately, you can modify the crunch to your strength-level and build up to your personal fitness goal.
Steps
Starting Position
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1Lie flat on the floor and lace your hands behind your head.[1] Spread your elbows wide as you bring your hands behind your head. Lightly touch the back of your head with your fingers and palms.[2]
- Try to relax as you look straight up at the ceiling so you're not holding tension in your shoulders.[3]
- If it's more comfortable, you can lie on a lightly cushioned surface. For example, lie down on a yoga mat or carpeted floor.
- If you keep your elbows tucked in, your crunches won't engage your oblique muscles as well.
- Avoid interlacing your fingers because you'll be more likely to pull on your neck. This can cause muscle strain or fatigue.
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2Bend your knees up at a 90-degree angle. Keep your feet planted on the floor as you bring your knees up so they form the peak of a triangle. Your feet should be flat and about shoulder-width apart on the floor.[4]
- Your knees shouldn't be knocking together once they're at a 90-degree angle. Instead, keep space between them.
Technique
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1Lift your legs up and away from your body. Once your knees are bent, lift your feet up so your legs are extended and slightly bent at the knee. Avoid straightening your legs so much that your hamstrings feel tight.[5]
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2
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3Alternate the crunch by touching the other knee with the opposite elbow.[8] Release the crunch and bring your other knee in towards your chest as you touch the opposite elbow to it. Extend the leg that's not tucked in so it's pushed away from your body as though you're pedaling a bike.[9]
- Once you get the hang of it, you can smoothly rotate your torso as your elbows touch alternating knees.
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4Aim for 15 to 20 crunches per set. If you're just starting out with bicycle crunches try to do 1 to 2 sets. Then, work your way up to at least 3 or 4 sets of 15 to 20 crunches for a more challenging workout that builds your abs.[10]
- It's okay to adjust the number of crunches you perform for each set. For example, you might prefer to start with 10 crunches per set.
Tip: Instead of counting crunches, you could also time yourself for sets. For example, 1 set might last between 20 and 60 seconds.
Variations
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1Stand instead of lie down for an easier way to do the bicycle crunch. If you feel uncomfortable when you lie on the ground and twist, stay in a standing position. Then, twist your waist and bring the elbow of your arm to the knee of your opposite leg. Lift that leg while you twist to mimic the movements of the bicycle crunch.[11]
- Repeat this crunch in the opposite direction.
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2Keep your knees bent instead of peddling them for a simpler crunch. If the traditional bicycle crunch is too hard on your torso, try leaving your feet on the ground so your knees form a 90-degree angle. Then, follow the rotation portion of the crunch so you bring your elbow to the opposite knee.[12]
- Remember to keep your fingers loose instead of locking them so you don't pull on your neck.
Tip: You can also try simply raising your leg and setting it back down as you rotate the opposite elbow.
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3Lie on a bench to do bicycle crunches for a more challenging workout. To do an elevated bicycle crunch, lie with your back on an exercise bench so your legs are hanging over both sides. Then, pull a knee up towards your chest as you bring your opposite elbow towards the knee. Remember to leave one of your legs touching the floor as you do the crunch.[13]
- The elevated bicycle crunch is more of a workout for your core muscles since you're doing a deeper stretch.
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4Do the bicycle crunch on a half-dome balance ball for an intense stretch. Place the flat side of the half-dome ball on the floor and sit on it. Then, lean back so your lower back is supported by the domed part of the ball. Plant your feet on the floor before you perform the bicycle crunch.[14]
- This will probably feel like a difficult workout because you'll be using your muscles to balance while performing the crunch.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow should I position my neck?
Dean TheriotDean Theriot is a Personal Trainer and the Owner of Timberline Fitness in Houston, Texas. With over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, Dean specializes in personal, group, and sport-specific training. Dean holds a BS in Exercise Physiology from LSU. Dean combines resistance and cardiovascular training with pilates exercises for comprehensive workouts for his clients. His sport-specific training includes football, basketball, and baseball.
Personal TrainerYou don't want to crank your neck in too much. Instead, look up a little bit more versus looking straight across. That’ll keep your neck in a better position.
Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionHow do I make sure I'm engaging my abs?Dean TheriotDean Theriot is a Personal Trainer and the Owner of Timberline Fitness in Houston, Texas. With over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, Dean specializes in personal, group, and sport-specific training. Dean holds a BS in Exercise Physiology from LSU. Dean combines resistance and cardiovascular training with pilates exercises for comprehensive workouts for his clients. His sport-specific training includes football, basketball, and baseball.
Personal TrainerYou want to make sure that you've got your abs flexed the whole time. If you're doing that properly, you're going to have your lower back pressed into the floor or mat and there won't be any space between your lower back and the floor. That's the key hip position that engages your abs rather than just using your hip flexors.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionHow do you do the air bike?
Michele DolanMichele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.
Certified Fitness TrainerLie on your back, lift your legs up above your hips and move your legs in a pedaling motion like you are riding a bicycle.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
Warnings
- If you have back or neck pain, stop and ask your doctor about whether you should be doing bicycle crunches.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Avoid doing bicycle crunches if you're more than 12 weeks pregnant.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- A yoga mat, optional
- Half-dome balance ball, optional
- Exercise bench, optional
-Step-24.webp)
References
- ↑ Dean Theriot. Personal Trainer. Expert Interview. 22 January 2021.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/1we3bh9uhqY?t=23
- ↑ https://www.self.com/story/the-right-way-to-do-bicycle-crunches
- ↑ https://youtu.be/1we3bh9uhqY?t=19
- ↑ https://youtu.be/1we3bh9uhqY?t=37
- ↑ Dean Theriot. Personal Trainer. Expert Interview. 22 January 2021.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/1we3bh9uhqY?t=42
- ↑ Dean Theriot. Personal Trainer. Expert Interview. 22 January 2021.
- ↑ https://www.self.com/story/the-right-way-to-do-bicycle-crunches
- ↑ https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a26090261/bicycle-crunches/
- ↑ https://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/lose-weight/1716/bicycle-crunches
- ↑ https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a26090261/bicycle-crunches/
- ↑ https://www.coachmag.co.uk/exercises/lose-weight/1716/bicycle-crunches
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZE87TqDnbNM?t=18
About This Article
Bicycle crunches are a great way to tone your abs while also strengthening your hamstrings and quads. To do a basic bicycle crunch, lie flat on the floor and put your hands behind your head with your elbows sticking out to the sides. When you’re ready to start, bend your knees and lift your feet off the floor. Raise your head and shoulders slightly off the floor as well. Alternate bringing each knee up to your chest and touching it with the opposite elbow, doing a cycling motion with your legs. Aim for 1 or 2 sets of 15 to 20 crunches. As you get better at the workout, you can start adding in more sets. Read on for more tips from our Fitness co-author, including how to do variants on the bicycle crunch!
