Abdominal Bicycle

A man performing a bicycle crunch exercise with muscles and abdominal muscles highlighted in red and orange. The image shows the starting and finishing positions of the exercise.

Exercise Description

The Abdominal Bicycle, commonly known as the Bicycle Crunch, is a bodyweight core exercise that targets the abdominal muscles through a combination of trunk flexion and rotation. The movement involves alternating elbow-to-knee contact while extending the opposite leg, creating continuous tension on the core. It is one of the most effective abdominal exercises for developing core strength, muscular endurance, coordination, and rotational stability.

Primary Muscles Worked

  • Rectus Abdominis

  • External Obliques

  • Internal Obliques

Secondary Muscles Worked

  • Transverse Abdominis

  • Hip Flexors

  • Rectus Femoris

  • Serratus Anterior

  • Quadriceps (Leg Extension Stabilization)

How to Perform Correctly

Setup

  1. Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat.

  2. Place your hands lightly behind your head without pulling on your neck.

  3. Lift your shoulders slightly off the floor.

  4. Raise your feet off the ground and bend your knees to approximately 90 degrees.

  5. Engage your core and press your lower back gently into the floor.

Movement

  1. Extend one leg straight while simultaneously bringing the opposite knee toward your chest.

  2. Rotate your torso and bring the opposite elbow toward the bent knee.

  3. Focus on rotating through the torso rather than pulling with the arms.

  4. Alternate sides in a smooth, cycling motion.

  5. Keep your shoulders elevated throughout the set.

  6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions or duration.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pulling on the Neck

  • Keep your hands lightly behind your head and allow the core to drive the movement.

Moving Too Quickly

  • Fast repetitions often reduce abdominal activation and increase momentum.

Allowing the Lower Back to Arch

  • Keep your lower back pressed gently into the floor throughout the exercise.

Using the Arms Instead of the Torso

  • Rotate through the ribcage and torso rather than forcing elbow-to-knee contact.

Extending the Leg Too High

  • Keep the extended leg low to maintain core tension, while avoiding excessive lower-back arching.

Holding the Breath

  • Maintain steady breathing throughout the movement.

Letting the Shoulders Drop

  • Keep the shoulder blades elevated to maintain abdominal engagement.

Abs Exercises