Why is The Bicycle Crunch Exercise Fantastic For Your Abs?

Friday, September 16th, 2011 at 11:22 pm

There are literally hundreds of different exercises and machines that have been devised or designed to build and work the abdominal muscles yet the vast majority of them pale into insignificance when compared to the results achieved with the humble Bicycle Crunch Exercise!

Many ab programs, concentrate on exercises that require weights or machines to gain results, however, the bicycle crunch exercise features in pretty much all of them, so highly is it regarded.

The reason why this exercise works so well is because it uses more abdominal muscles to perform correctly than any other exercise.

The effectiveness of the bicycle crunch can only be lessened if your technique is poor. A poor technique will mean that other muscles will have to compensate which can lead to muscle strains and other injuries so it is vital that the exercise is performed perfectly every time.

When Should You Not Use The Bicycle Crunch?

Although there is no real reason why you cannot use the bicycle crunch right from the word go you will need to ensure that your other muscles are providing enough support.

Apart from the injuries that are incurred when the exercise is incorrectly performed there is also a danger of injury due to other core muscles being weaker. Your core muscles are those that support and protect your spine which include your abs, back muscles and pelvic muscles.

All of these core muscles must be strengthened not just your abs so, before you can really start working hard on your crunches, you will have to ensure that your lower and upper back muscles are also being strengthened at the same time, the ‘six pack shortcuts’ program takes you through this entire process, ensuring you do this strengthening process correctly and therefore avoiding any unnecessary injuries.

And Now….The Bad News!

If you are aiming for the best 6 pack abs you can get then the bad news is that the bicycle crunch won’t provide them on it’s own (no matter how good the exercise is!), and this rule also applies to every other abs exercise too!

The bicycle crunch will certainly help improve the definition and the strength of your abs but if you want to see the results of your hard work then you need to burn off the fat that inevitably lies on top of them.

There is only one way to do this correctly and that is to combine – resistance training (this is your muscle building work, which includes crunches), low to medium intensity cardiovascular training (your fat burning exercise) and a good, high in nutritional value, healthy diet (actually…the most important ingredient!) this is something that Mike Chang’s Six Pack Shortcuts Program does really well.(Check out the download page here)

There are two ways to perform the Bicycle Crunch (apart from the right way and the wrong way!), there is the full exercise and the half exercise.

If you are reasonably fit and in decent shape you should be able to start with the full bicycle crunch exercise, however, if that is not the case, you can make it a little easier for yourself by starting with the half exercise and then, when you are ready, and only when you are ready, move up to the full exercise.

How to Perform the Full Bicycle Crunch Exercise

Place an exercise mat on the floor and then lie on your back on it. Place your hands by your ears with your elbows pointing out to the sides. Raise your legs and bend your knees so that your hips and knees are at 90 degree angles with your feet are held at your thigh length above the floor.
Straighten your left leg whilst at the same time bringing your right knee towards your chest. Using your abdominal muscles lift and turn your upper body so that your left elbow moves towards your right knee…don’t bend at the shoulder!
Slowly return your upper body to it’s original position and repeat with the opposite knee and elbow. This repeated motion is what gives the crunch its name.
You should start by performing a 5 to 10 reps set, 1 rep being a left and a right crunch, building up to about 20 reps a set.
If you are starting with the half exercise then follow the steps above except place a chair or a bench at the end of the exercise mat which you can then rest whichever leg is in the extended mode of the exercise.

Here are some tips that will help:

Always maintain a steady, rhythmic breathing pattern
Ensure you brace your core muscles throughout the exercise, this will ensure that your lower back stays firmly pressed against the exercise mat.
Remain focused on working your abdominal muscles.
Never force your head forward with your hands, this unnecessary pressure could cause a neck injury.
There is no need for your elbows to actually touch your knees.
Keep your shape throughout, if you feel you are struggling to hold your shape don’t force yourself to finish your set. Instead, shorten your set and gradually increase it over time.

If you need further assistance, or do not fully understand the instructions above, check out the video below to see the exercise being performed.