Taming Your Torso: The Bicycle Crunch.

A modified version of the bicycle crunch that’ll have you slimmer and fitter in less time.

Crunches have been a part of every core exercise regimen since time immemorial. However, many people make the mistake of thinking that the ever-popular crunch is enough to get them meeting their fitness goals. 



Crunches, in fact, are not enough, and you’ll leave yourself shortchanged unless you add more exercises to your routine. Here’s a modified version of the crunch that’ll have you slimmer and fitter in less time - the bicycle crunch.

Lie face-up on the floor and place your fingers behind your head or your ears, just as you would for a crunch. Draw your left knee in towards your torso, while at the same time lifting your shoulder blades off the floor and bringing your right elbow towards your drawn-in left knee. 

Straighten out your left leg to about a 45-degree angle to the ground, then draw in your right knee and bring up your left elbow to meet it to finish off 1 rep. Start from 20 reps and then build up the numbers as you get stronger.

The secret to this exercise is in the rotation of your upper body and the movement of your legs. Rotating your upper body forces your obliques to take on some weight. At the same time, your raised and moving legs place additional strain on your abdominal area. 

All things considered, this exercise targets more areas than the typical crunch, and would exercise your abdominal areas a lot faster besides. You could do this as a complement to a set of crunches. This exercise is definitely a must for you if you’re serious about building up your core and eliminating those love handles.