Core · Bodyweight
Bicycle Crunches
How to do the bicycle crunches, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Core Hold
- Mechanic
- Accessory
See it in motion
How to do it
Lie on your back, hands behind head, knees bent. Alternate bringing opposite elbow to opposite knee, extending the other leg.
- 1Feel your obliques and rectus abdominis working as you twist and bring elbow to opposite knee
- 2Keep your legs elevated and moving in a pedalling motion to maintain tension
- 3Engage your deep core to avoid pulling on your neck
Common mistakes
- Avoid yanking your head forward; support it lightly with your fingertips
- Don't let your lower back arch off the mat
- Avoid moving too fast; control the twist and leg extension
Muscles worked
The bicycle crunches mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the obliques assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the bicycle crunches for you and tracks it every session.
The AI builds your whole program, drops the right lifts into each workout, and adjusts your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the cable crunch
- How to do the cable pallof press
- How to do the woodchop
- How to do the captains chair leg raise
- How to do the crunch
Last reviewed April 2026.