Alternating heel-touch
The alternating heel-touch is an effective bodyweight exercise that engages the obliques and the rectus abdominis, or six-pack muscles. This exercise is a great addition to any ab-focused workout routine, as it can be performed for time or reps depending on your goals.
To perform the alternating heel-touch, start in a seated position with your legs extended in front of you. Place your hands behind your head, and as you exhale, bring your right knee in towards your chest and touch your left heel with your right hand. Then, as you inhale, return to the starting position. Repeat this motion on the opposite side, bringing your left knee in towards your chest and touching your right heel with your left hand.
Incorporating the alternating heel-touch into your ab-focused workout routine will help you strengthen your core muscles and achieve a toned midsection. To add an extra challenge to your workout, you can increase the speed at which you perform the exercise or hold a weight plate against your chest while you do it. This exercise can also be performed while standing, so you can add some variety to your workout and target different muscles.
Overall, the alternating heel-touch is a great exercise for targeting your core muscles and strengthening your abdominal area. Its a versatile exercise that can be performed for time or reps, and you can even modify it to create an extra challenge.
Type:
Strength
Muscles Used:
Abdominals
Level:
Intermediate
Equipment:
Body Only
Benefits Of This Exercise
- The alternating heel-touch is a great exercise for strengthening your core muscles and targeting your abdominal area.
- It engages the obliques and the rectus abdominis, or six-pack muscles, and can be performed for time or reps.
- It can also be modified to add an extra challenge, such as increasing the speed or holding a weight plate against your chest.
- This exercise can be performed while seated or standing, offering variety to your workout.
- It engages upper-back muscles and is a great beginner exercise for targeting the obliques.
- The rectus abdominis contracts isometrically while the obliques contract dynamically.
Step by Step Instructions For Alternating heel-touch
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet on the floor around 18-24 inches apart. Your arms should be extended by your side. This will be your starting position.
- Crunch your torso forward and up about 3-4 inches to the right side, bringing your right knee in towards your chest and touching your left heel with your right hand. Hold the contraction for a second and exhale during this movement.
- Slowly return to the starting position as you inhale.
- Crunch your torso forward and up around 3-4 inches to the left side, bringing your left knee in towards your chest and touching your right heel with your left hand. Hold the contraction for a second and exhale during this movement.
- Return to the starting position as you inhale. This completes one repetition.
- Continue alternating sides in this manner until you have completed the desired number of repetitions.
Variations: None
Warm Up Tips
- Start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet about 18-24 inches apart.
- Extend your arms by your sides to the starting position.
- Crunch your torso forward and up about 3-4 inches to the right side, exhaling as you do so.
- Touch your right heel with your right hand, holding the contraction for a second.
- Inhale as you slowly return to the starting position.
- Crunch your torso forward and up about 3-4 inches to the left side, exhaling as you do so.
- Touch your left heel with your left hand, holding the contraction for a second.
- Inhale as you slowly return to the starting position.
- Continue alternating sides until you have completed the desired number of repetitions.
Variations: None
The alternating heel-touch exercise is a great way to engage your obliques and rectus abdominis, or "six-pack" muscles. By following these warm-up tips, you can ensure that you are properly preparing your body for this exercise:
- Start with a few minutes of light cardiovascular activity, such as jogging in place or jumping jacks, to increase blood flow and warm up your muscles.
- Perform some dynamic stretches, such
Alternating heel-touch Safety Tips
- Always warm up before performing the alternating heel-touch exercise to prepare your muscles for the movement.
- Ensure that you have enough space around you to perform the exercise comfortably without any obstacles.
- Maintain proper form throughout the exercise by keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Start with a comfortable range of motion and gradually increase it as you become more familiar with the exercise.
- Breathe properly during the exercise, exhaling as you crunch forward and inhaling as you return to the starting position.
- If you experience any pain or discomfort during the exercise, stop immediately and consult a fitness professional.
- Listen to your body and only perform the exercise at a level that is appropriate for your fitness level.
- Stay consistent with your workouts and gradually increase the intensity or duration of the exercise over time.
- Consider adding variations or modifications to the exercise to keep your workouts challenging and prevent plateauing.
- Always cool down and stretch after your workout to promote muscle recovery and prevent injury.
Incorporating Into Other Workouts
The alternating heel-touch exercise can be incorporated into workouts to increase core strength and engage the obliques and rectus abdominis. Here are a few ways to incorporate this exercise into your workout routine:
1. Ab-focused workout routine: Add the alternating heel-touch as one of the exercises in your ab-focused workout routine. Perform it for a specific number of reps or for a set amount of time, depending on your goals.
2. Circuit training: Include the alternating heel-touch in a circuit training workout. Combine it with other exercises targeting different muscle groups to create a full-body workout. Perform each exercise for a set amount of time or reps before moving on to the next one.
3. Interval training: Incorporate the alternating heel-touch into your interval training routine. Alternate between high-intensity exercises and rest periods, using the alternating heel-touch as one of the high-intensity exercises.
4. Weighted variation: To add an extra challenge to your workout, hold a weight plate against your chest while performing the alternating heel-touch. This will increase the resistance and further engage your core muscles.
5. Standing variation: Instead of performing the alternating heel-touch in a seated position, try doing it while standing. This will challenge your balance and engage different muscles, providing variety to your workout.
Remember to focus on proper form and technique while performing the alternating heel-touch. Start with a weight or intensity level that is appropriate for your fitness level, and gradually increase as you become stronger.