Strengthen Your Core with the Bicycle Exercise

Having a strong core helps with balance, posture and strength. There are 35 different muscle groups that make up the body’s core and they can be broken up into four different areas:

• – Back extensors
• – Abdominals
• – Lateral trunk muscles
• – Hip muscles

So it’s safe to say you’re going to have to do more than sit ups to strengthen your core.

The Bicycle Exercise adds rotation side-to-side with a traditional crunch and it strengthens the obliques, located on the side of your abdominal muscles.

In this premium video lesson, Leah Zahner, Certified Personal Trainer (NASM), walks you through step-by-step how to do the Bicycle Exercise and a modified variation if you find it painful or difficult to perform.

Step 1

Start on your back with your knees up and your hands behind your head. Try to keep your elbows open and wide.

Step 2

Next, crunch up and hold the lift.

Step 3

Bring your opposite knee to your opposite elbow. Continue alternating elbows and knees keeping both elbows and shoulders off the ground throughout the exercise. This will ensure that you are making the rotation with your core instead of using momentum.

Modified Variation

If you find the Bicycle Exercise too difficult, here is a modified variation that targets the same areas, the obliques.

Start by lifting to your highest point, crunching your abs and then alternate reaching towards your ankles, side to side.

The Bicycle Exercise benefits your bowling games in a multitude of ways, including:

• – Improved balance and stability allowing you to bowl better longer.
• – Your ball speed will increase.
• – Injury prevention. By strengthening your core your shoulders and lower back will take less of the impact bowling has on the body.

Check out “Complete Core Exercise” and “How To Do a Plank” to hit all of four areas that comprise the body’s core.