You might be more familiar with the bicycle maneuver as bicycle crunches, or an advanced version of oblique crunches. This exercise gets its name from the pedaling motion your feet describe as you crunch first to one side, then the other, straightening one leg and bending the other every time you switch sides. Research sponsored by the American Council on Exercise found the bicycle maneuver to be among the most effective exercises for both the rectus abdominis and obliques.
Step 1
Lie on your back, on the floor or an exercise mat. You can also do the bicycle maneuver lying in bed or, if you have good balance and careful technique but no floor space to lie on, you can do it lying on a weight bench.
Step 2
Bend your knees and hips, so your shins are parallel to the floor. Place the fingers of both hands lightly on either side of your head, or just beside your ears.
Step 3
Extend your right leg straight out, with your foot a few inches above the floor, as you bring your left knee up toward your face. Simultaneously crunch up and to the left, bringing your right elbow toward your left knee.
Step 4
Return to the starting position, lying face up, with knees together and legs bent at the hip and knee.
Step 5
Repeat on the other side: Extend your left leg straight out, foot a few inches above the floor. Bring your right knee in as you crunch up and to the right, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.
Step 6
Return to the starting position. This completes one full repetition, or one repetition on either side, depending on how you prefer to count. Aim for 10 to 25 full repetitions.
Tips and Warnings
- Your elbows and knees don’t have to actually make contact, but bring them as close together as you can without forcing the motion. Resist the temptation to pull on your head or neck as you crunch. Keep your neck in neutral position throughout the motion, looking at a spot just to the outside of your bent knee on whichever side you’re facing. If you find doing 25 repetitions too easy, try slowing down a little bit, pausing briefly on each side and counting to three or four as you slowly transition to the other side. Also, make sure you never release muscular tension completely as you switch from the right to the left. In other words, never just lay back and relax completely in the middle of your set.
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