Twisting Crunch

Teaching points

• Lay on your back with the knees bent
  
  
• Place your fingers on your temples
  
  
• Lift the head, neck and shoulders off the ground and rotate the trunk so the right elbow meets the left knee
  
  
• Try to keep your neck relaxed
  
  
• Rotate back to the centre and return the head, neck and shoulders to the floor

Variations & progressions

• Place your hands behind your head to support your neck
  
  
• Do not pull your neck forwards using your hands

Muscles worked

• Rectus abdominus
  
  
• Transversus abdominus
  
  
• Internal obliques
  
  
• External obliques

Alternative exercises

• Crunch using a resistance band
  
  
• Sitting twist using a resistance band
  
  
• Standing twist using a resistance band
  
  
• Side plank

Related injuries

• Abdominal strain
  
  
• Lower back pain