Article # 87. Abdominal Exercise - Bicycle Crunch

Abdominal Exercise - Bicycle Crunch

This exercise was rated as the best abdominal exercise by a recent study.

The bicycle crunch works not only your rectus abdominus, but also the oblique muscles and your transverse abdominal muscle.  It is one of the most effective abs exercises.

How to do the Bicycle Crunch

1.      Lying flat on the floor, make sure your lower back is pressed to the floor and is not arched

2.      Place your hands loosely behind or beside your head

3.      Raise your left leg and bend your knee at a 45 degree angle

4.      Lift your other leg, keeping the knee straight

5.      Lift your torso up, touching your right elbow to your left bent knee

6.      In a bicycle motion with your legs, alternate your left elbow to your right knee.  Keep repeating this motion

7.      Remember to breathe evenly throughout the abs exercise

Benefits of Bicycle Crunch Ab Exercises

1. Weight Loss- The bicycle crunch exercise offers many benefits. One of these is the weight loss that will occur when these crunches are performed on a regular basis. This crunch looks and seems simple, but it is an intense workout that will quickly tire you out and cause considerable weight loss when combined with a sensible diet and other exercises. The intensity of the exercise means that you burn more calories each time you do a repetition, and you will continue burning more calories for hours afterward.

2. Improve Muscle Strength And Mass- When this exercise is performed on a regular basis then you will notice that the muscles worked out will become stronger, and you will build muscle tissue at the same time. Muscle tissue requires more calories for your body to maintain, so building muscle strength and mass means you will stay at your ideal weight.

3. A Stronger Core- Your core muscles are extremely important. These muscles position your body and ensure proper movement. The bicycle crunch will cause you to build a stronger core and prevent aches and pains caused by poor muscle strength or inadequate muscle tissues. Core strength determines many things, including posture and physical ability. When you have a strong core you have everything you need for ideal physical fitness and health.

4. A Flatter Stomach- The movement that this exercise uses will help you achieve a flatter stomach, without any extra fat or pudgy layers. This crunch encourages fat loss around the waist and in the stomach area, giving you a flat and toned stomach that you will be proud to show off. If you are trying to get a bikini body or you want to look great without a shirt then this exercise can do the trick and help you reach these goals.

5. Better Abdominal Definition- The bicycle crunch will help give you incredible muscle definition when you include this exercise as part of your regular workout regimen. You will develop a six pack that stands out and gets noticed everywhere you go. By strengthening the muscles and encouraging fat loss in the abdomen you will define the individual muscles so that they are very noticeable.