Things You'll Need:
- yoga mat
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Step 1
Lay down on your yoga mat with your head relaxed against the top of the mat, you knees bent, and your feet placed on the bottom of the mat. Bend your elbows and place your hands against the back of your head. Keep your head in a neutral position and don't pull on your neck.
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Step 2
Now start with your right obliques. Try to bring your right elbow to your left knee. This will require you to rotate your torso and pull your body diagonally aligning your right upper body with your left lower body. You will feel your right oblique muscles pulling you up. Remember to only use your arm as a guide-- you want to use your abdominals and not your upper body strength to life you up.
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Step 3
Now bring your body back down to neutral position. Reverse the movement you just made, rotate your torso, and return to your original position. Take a moment to enjoy neutral position and take a breath.
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Step 4
Now, move on to working your left oblique muscles. Bring your left elbow to your right knee. Again, you will need to rotate your torso and move your body diagonally to align your left upper body to your right lower body. Return to neutral position and then switch to your right side again.
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Step 5
Repeat this motion at least 20 times to complete a set. You will want to do 2-3 full sets during your exercise session. If you want to complete the full bicycle crunch, you will want to lift your legs off the mat and pull them in and kick them out, coordinating with your upper body. For example, when you are working your right obliques, pull in your left knee, while kicking out your right leg.
