Alternating Heel Touch
Also known as: heel taps
- Primary muscleAbs
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeCore · Core flexion
- Secondary muscles
- Obliques
- Body part
- Core
- Position
- Lying
- Laterality
- Alternating sides
- Category
- Strength
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A short side-to-side reach rather than a full sit-up: your shoulder blades hover just off the floor while each hand slides toward the same-side heel, so the obliques work through lateral flexion instead of trunk rotation. Foot placement sets the difficulty - walk your heels farther away to lengthen the reach.
How to do the Alternating Heel Touch
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the ground.
- Engaging your abs, lift your shoulders off the ground and reach your right hand towards your right heel.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side, reaching your left hand towards your left heel.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Breathe out as you crunch and let the last bit of air leave the lungs at the top of each rep.
Muscles worked
Primary
Abs · Core
The rectus abdominis shortens to bend the spine forward, and each rep should end with the upper abs fully contracted and the ribs pulled down.
Secondary
- Obliques — Twisting or side crunch variations bring the obliques in, and you should feel them along the side of the waist on the working side.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on the neck — hands behind the head should support, not yank; keep the elbows wide and the chin about a fist away from the chest.
- Sitting all the way up — a crunch is a curl of the ribs toward the pelvis, not a sit-up; the lower back should stay on the floor the whole time.
- Cranking out fast reps — momentum does the work if you bounce; lift to a squeeze, hold for a count and lower slowly.
- Never adding load — once bodyweight reps get easy, hold a plate on the chest or use a cable rather than doing sets of 50.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–25 | 45 s |
Crunches close out a session after the heavy work, or they can fill the rest periods between sets of a lift that does not need much bracing. Pair a cable crunch with a cable side bend on the same stack.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Alternating Heel Touch work?
The Alternating Heel Touch primarily works the abs. It also involves the obliques, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Alternating Heel Touch good for beginners?
Yes. The Alternating Heel Touch is rated beginner: it uses no equipment beyond your bodyweight and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Alternating Heel Touch?
If you cannot do the Alternating Heel Touch, try the Cross Body Crunch, the Bicycle Crunch or the Feet on Bench Oblique Crunch. Each of them trains the abs through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Alternating Heel Touch, a sensible starting point is strength: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 15–25 with 45 s rest. Train it at the end of a session or pair it with a lower-body lift as active rest.
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