How To Do & Muscles Worked

alternate heel touches

This exercise is a more advanced version of a crunch to strengthen the core muscles, with targeted emphasis on the abdominal muscles.

DIFFICULTY
Easy
Moderate
Challenging

Which Muscles Are Worked?

Diagram of primary and secondary muscles worked from Alternate heel touches

Primary Muscles

Abs

Secondary Muscles

Neck

Exercise Type

How to do alternate heel touches Properly

Step by Step Guide

Begin lying on your back with the legs bent and hip distance apart. Arms can be done at your side with the palms down.

Next, crunch up as you tuck the chin to your chest and raise the head up off the ground. Also raise the arms an inch off the ground as you reach them toward your feet.

Stay in this static crunch and now add in some heel touches, reaching the hands to one heel, back to center, and then to the other heel.

Repeat for the desired repetitions.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is causing neck tension during any crunch variation. To avoid this, be sure to tuck the chin to your chest first before crunching up. This will fire your neck (cervical spine) flexors to help you hold the neck up in a safer position.