How to Do a Bicycle Crunch for a Strong, Stable Core

Unlike the standard abdominal crunch that works just the front of your midsection (aka the rectus abdominis), the bicycle crunch exercise works those front muscles, your side obliques and even your lower body a bit. Plus, it's a fun way to add in some variety when you get bored of the basic crunch or plank.

So, are bicycle crunches effective? If you want a stronger core to improve your athletic performance or help support your back (or both!), the bicycle crunch is a great move that should be incorporated into your exercise program.

Read on to learn more about how to do the bicycle crunch, muscles worked, benefits, form tips, variations and how to add it to your workout routine.

• ‌What are bicycle crunches?‌ Bicycle crunches are a body-weight exercise. To do a bicycle crunch correctly, lie on your back with your hands behind your head (elbows out wide) and rotate your torso as you touch your elbow to your opposite knee, all while your legs move in a pedaling motion. This exercise incorporates both trunk rotation (side-to-side motion) and flexion (the ability to bend forward).
• ‌Who can do bicycle crunches?‌ This move is an excellent choice for anyone wanting to strengthen their obliques and rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscle) with one exercise. It's not for everyone, however. "Those that have low back pain or a low back injury or neck pain should typically avoid performing the bicycle crunch exercise," Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, physical therapist and founder of Movement Vault, tells LIVESTRONG.com.
• ‌What muscles do bicycle crunches work?‌ "Bicycle crunches are a core exercise that helps activate and strengthen your rectus abdominis, obliques and hip flexor muscles," Wickham says.

The bicycle crunch is the top exercise for strengthening your rectus abdominis — the muscles in front of your abdomen — according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), beating exercises like the captain's chair, crunches and the ab roller. Bicycle crunches also play a role in supporting your back during everyday activities like running, bending over and lifting.

The rotation in the bicycle crunch is an ideal way to strengthen your oblique muscles, which run along the sides of your abdominals. Bicycle crunches are the second most effective exercise among those that were studied for strengthening the obliques, coming in second only to the captain's chair, according to ACE. This exercise also works the tranversus abdominis muscle (a deep core muscle), which helps to provide support to your trunk and back.

You aren't just working your core with this move. The pedaling movements of your legs strengthens your quadriceps, hamstring and glutes (albeit bicycle crunches don't strengthen these muscles as much as your core).

"[The bicycle crunch] also helps you improve contralateral coordinated movements, which is a technical term for moving your opposite arm and opposite leg at the same time," Grayson says.

The bicycle crunch can be done anywhere and requires no special equipment. You can do it at the gym, at home, in your office or in a hotel room.

To get the most benefits of the bicycle crunch, make sure you aren't making these common mistakes.

To work your abdominals, you must lift your shoulder blades off of the ground as you rotate. If you keep your shoulders on the ground and just turn your head, you may strain your neck and you won't strengthen your entire core.

It's OK to touch your shoulders briefly down to the ground between rotations, but don't rest them. To get the most benefit and to keep your abs engaged, keep your shoulders up through the entire set.

Your hips shouldn't twist throughout the exercise — only your shoulders should rotate. Keep your hips still as you pedal your legs.

The bicycle crunch exercise can be modified for those who are beginners and for those who want to challenge themselves.

The standing bicycle crunch allows you to become comfortable with the movement more easily without fighting gravity. When you are able to do this exercise, progress to the regular bicycle crunch exercise.

To make the standard bicycle crunch more difficult, try the straight-leg bicycle crunch. Your abdominals will have to work hard to control your legs.

You can add the bicycle exercise for your abs into your core-strengthening program, with other exercises like planks, side planks and heel taps. Bicycle crunches are also a great addition to your overall strengthening routine, which can include body-weight exercises, weights or machines.

As far as how many reps to do, that depends on your exercise goals, according to ACE. If, for example, you want to build muscular endurance, perform bicycle crunches for 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps. Or if you want to improve your strength, you can incorporate a static hold or isometric hold in the move, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Once your elbow meets your knee, hold for 5 to 10 seconds before switching sides.

You can also do bicycle crunches for a set period of time, like 1 to 3 minutes. If you're wondering if it's better to do bicycle crunches fast or slow, doing them quickly for a set period of time will get your heart rate up for additional cardio benefits. Doing them slowly, like we mentioned above, can help you build strength.

The bicycle crunch exercise is a great addition to your workout routine as it can be modified to make it easier or harder, as you work on your fitness goals.