Core · Bodyweight
Elevated Cycling
How to do the elevated cycling, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lie on your back and lift your hips and legs so your feet point toward the ceiling, supporting your hips with your hands if needed. Cycle your legs in a continuous pedaling motion, extending one leg while drawing the other knee in. Keep the movement smooth and your core braced throughout.
- 1Constant tension in your lower abs holding the hips up
- 2Hip flexors and quads driving the pedaling motion
- 3Smooth, controlled circles rather than jerky kicks
Common mistakes
- Letting your lower back arch off the floor
- Dropping the hips and losing the elevated position
- Holding your breath as you pedal
Muscles worked
The elevated cycling mainly works the lower abs and hip flexors, with the upper abs, quads, and obliques assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the elevated cycling for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust 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 ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.