Why The Bicycle Maneuver Is The Best Abs Exercise

By doing this workout, you will strengthen your external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique, rectus abdominis and transverses abdominis muscles. All four muscles are used to compress your abdominopelvic cavity. The obliques and rectus abdominis muscles also flex the vertebral column; while the obliques have the added duty of rotating the vertebral column.

Strengthening these muscles will help you keep your back well aligned, provide support for your abdomen and help you rise from a sitting or lying position. You will also improve your physical appearance.

This is a difficult exercise. However, the health benefits make it worth the effort to perform this exercise as part of your regular fitness routine.

While doing the Bicycle Maneuver, you may have a tendency to lift your torso with your arms and hands. You can avoid this tendency by placing your hands just behind your ears rather than interlaced behind your head. This position of your hands will help you lift your torso with your abdominal muscles rather than with you arms.


You may also have a tendency to cheat by moving your knee closer to your rising torso to decrease the distance that you need to lift yourself. We all have this tendency, and do it without realizing it. So concentrate on keeping your thigh at a 90 degree angle to the floor as you lift to touch your knee with your elbow.

Begin by lying flat on an exercise mat with your lower back pressed to the mat. Put your hands beside your head and over your ears. Raise your knees to form a 90 degree angle with vertical thighs and horizontal shins. Extend your right leg out with your leg about 30 to 45 degrees above the floor. Keep your left thigh vertical and your left shin horizontal. Raise your shoulders off the mat with your abdominal muscles, and rotate to touch your left knee with your right elbow. Switch legs and rotate in the opposite direction to touch your right knee with your left elbow. Keep even, relaxed breathing throughout the workout. Continue until your muscles are fatigued.

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