Bicycle Exercises – One Of The Best Abdominal Exercises
When it comes to getting great abs, a few slow and deliberate ab exercises will trump 500 crunches any day. In fact, a study conducted by the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University ranked crunches among the worst abdominal exercises.
Surprisingly, the bicycle earned top honors for great abs. Why? Because it effectively engages all three abdominal muscles: the transversus abdominus, the rectus abdominus and the obliques.
To develop great abs, you don’t need to put in hours at the gym. Think quality versus quantity. Take 15 minutes twice a week to target these three muscle groups with key exercises like the bicycle, butterfly, pelvic tilt and twists.
Bicycle (upper and lower abdominals; obliques):
1. Lie flat on the floor with your hands clasped comfortably behind your head. Press your lower back against the ground and raise your knees to a 45°. Keep your feet on the floor.
2. To protect your spine, keep your abdominal muscles contracted throughout this exercise. To do this, imagine your belly button is being pulled towards your spine. Do not hold your breath.
3. Pull one knee towards your chest as you lift the opposite leg a few inches off of the ground and straighten it.
4. Alternate your legs slowly and deliberately.
5. Perform three to four sets of 10 repetitions. Slowly build up to 30 reps per set.
Butterfly (upper abdominals):
1. Lie flat on your back with your knees at a 45° angle, feet flat on the floor as if you were about to do crunches. Hands behind your head. Relax your knees out to the sides. Drop them to the floor. The soles of your feet should touch throughout the entire exercise.
2. Contract your abs. Curl your shoulders up off the ground and reach towards your feet until your back lifts off of the floor. Hold for a count of two then slowly return to the starting position.
3. Perform three to four sets of 10 repetitions. Slowly build up to 30 reps per set.
Pelvic tilt (lower abdominals):
1. Rest in the crunch position with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. With your lower back pressed firmly against the floor, slowly raise your lower torso towards the ceiling. Hold for two seconds. Lower your body to the starting position.
3. Perform three to four set of 10 repetitions. Slowly build up to 30 reps per set.
Twists (obliques):
1. Sit upright with a neutral spine. Spread your legs out before you in a V-shape.
2. Hold a broom, stick or barbell behind your head.
3. Twist slowly to the right. Twist from your waist, not the hips or legs.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. Perform three to four sets of five repetitions per side. Slowly build up to 15 reps per side.
6. For a more advanced workout increase the weight of the barbell.
To maximize the effectiveness of these exercises for great abs:
1. Introduce regular cardiovascular activity into your weekly routine. You need to burn fat in order to show off your great abs.
2. Eliminate foods high in fat and sugar from your diet.
3. Eat five or six small meals a day. They should be high in complex carbohydrates and lean protein.
4. Quit smoking and limit your alcohol consumption. Both have been shown to contribute to the accumulation of fat in the abdominal region—definitely not the way to get great abs!
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