KEY AREAS:
Core, Abdominals, Obliques, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Hips, Buttocks
START POSITION:
Start in the Classic Pilates start position.
This is one of few exercises where it’s OK to put your hands behind your head, but I would always recommend clasping your ears as an alternative. Hands behind the head sometimes increases risk of neck injury.
To begin the exercise, bring your hands up to your head (ears or behind), lift your head up so you are facing forwards and lift your feet off the ground. Bend your knees backwards until both thighs are vertical.
NOTES:
DIFFICULTY: 4/4
This is a brilliant exercise to do regularly, as you can see from the KEY AREAS section on the left of this page.
Bicycle Crunches are excellent for building lower back protection. The lower back is one of the areas of the human body most prone to injury. Perfect technique is paramount for this exercise. Get it wrong and the benefits will drop off sharply and expose you to a higher risk of injury. Get it right and you will feel amazing!