Heel Taps
Primary Muscle Group: Abdominals, Obliques
Secondary Muscle Group: Back, Hip Flexors
Equipment Needed: None
The Benefits of Heel Taps
Compared to some more advanced ab exercises, heel taps are pretty easy to perform. The alternating Heel Taps are a popular bodyweight exercise that targets the obliques, as well as the Rectus Abdominis, or "six-pack" muscles. It can be performed for time or reps as part of any abs-focused circuit or workout.
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The Risks of doing Heel Taps
Before doing the Heel Taps exercise you should make sure you have warmed up because this exercise involves twisting the back to reach to your heels in order to get the full range of motion. To avoid any excess strain on the back you should also keep your back flat against the floor and your head fixed facing upwards.
How To Do Heel Taps
1. Lay down with your back on the ground and your knees bent and pointed towards the ceiling.
2. With your arms on your side raise your shoulders slightly off the ground.
3. Using your abs rotate your right hand down to your right foot and then back up.
4. Then do the same thing with your left hand.
5. Alternate back and forth for the desired amount of repetitions.
For Perfect Technique
The obliques are the main muscle worked during the alternating heel touches, but the rectus abdominis is hit to a degree, especially if you can slightly crunch your upper back off the ground during the exercise. This abdominal exercise is uniquely difficult to create a lot of variations for because of the position it puts your body in.
Variations
Once you have mastered the Heel Taps you can try alternative exercises that target similar muscle groups such as;
How To Do Lying Leg Cross Over
1. Start by lying on back with your legs straight and flat against the floor.
2. Tighten your abs and lift your legs off the floor.
3. Lower your right foot back down and lift your left leg up towards the sky, as you did with your right foot.
4. Bring one ankle over the other, in a criss cross motion down. (see illustration and video demonstration)
How To Do A Seated Criss Cross
1. Start by sitting at a 45 degree angle on the floor with your legs straight and flat against the ground.
2. Tighten your abs and lift your legs off the floor.
3. Lower your right foot back down and lift your left leg up towards the sky, as you did with your right foot.
4. Bring one ankle over the other, in a criss cross motion down. (see illustration and video demonstration)