Bicycle Crunch

How to perform

1. 1Bring the opposite elbow toward each knee as you pedal your legs.
2. 2Rotate from your torso — don't pull on your neck.

Technique in detail

Lie on your back with your hands resting lightly behind your head — supporting it, never pulling on it. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and bring your knees up so your hips and knees are bent to ninety degrees. Press your lower back gently toward the floor. Rotate your torso to bring one shoulder toward the opposite knee while extending the other leg out straight, then switch sides in a slow, controlled pedalling motion. The rotation should come from your ribs turning, not from your elbow chasing your knee.

Common mistakes

• Yanking on the neck with the hands. Rest the fingertips behind the ears and imagine holding a peach — if your neck aches afterwards, this was why.
• Chasing speed and turning it into an elbow-to-knee tap. Slow down until you feel the rotation come from the midsection; half the reps done properly beat twice as many rushed.
• Letting the lower back lift off the floor as the leg extends. Extend the leg higher, or less far, until the contact holds.

Equipment

• No equipment