Bicycle crunches specifically target the side abdominal muscles called the internal and external obliques. These muscles are commonly left out of most abdominal and core strengthening routines. Bicycles are one of the most effective exercises to strengthen your tranvserse abdominis, rectus abdominis and obliques.
Function
Start by lying down and sinking your lower back muscles in to the mat. Lift your legs up from the ground and gently rest your hands behind your head without pressing on your neck. Exhale and twist your left armpit toward your right knee — which you simultaneously bend and raise toward your left armpit — and hold as you inhale. Your left leg will be up off the ground and extended. Exhale and switch, twisting your right armpit towards your left knee and holding. Switch back and forth for as many times as you can with proper form.
Errors
Bicycle crunches are often performed very fast, which does not give the abdominal muscles much time to contract. To be effective, bicycle crunches must be performed slowly and with control. Always pause and hold when you get to the top of each twist. Bicycle crunches are mistakenly performed by twisting the elbow to the opposite knee. Performing the movement this way does not effectively target the obliques. Instead, remember to pull your elbow past your knee so that they are almost touching, but instead your armpit is tugging closer to your knee than your elbow.
Variations
To add more of a challenge to your bicycle crunch, you can try do perform this exercise with a stability ball or on a BOSU ball.
To perform the bicycle crunch with a stability ball, begin by gripping the ball between your legs as you lie on your mat. Grip the ball tightly and squeeze as you transition with each twist. This is also a way to target your hips and hamstrings because controlling the ball with your hips and thighs is a challenge.
You can also try to add balance to your ab routine by performing bicycle crunches on a BOSU ball. Begin by sitting on top of the BOSU and lifting both feet off the ground as you sit with a tall spine. Perform your bicycle crunch as you normally would, but twist with extra control because you will be recruiting your stabilizing muscles to balance you on top of the BOSU as you move.
Tips
Never tug on your neck during the bicycle crunch. If you feel pain in your neck, try to release your hands and leave them hovering an inch away from the back of your head. Always keep your chin tilted slightly in toward your chest to avoid neck pain. Pretend there is an invisible ball underneath your chin near your neck that you do not want to drop to control your head during this exercise. Keep your lower back pressed firmly to the mat at all times.
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