Alternate Heel Touchers
Alternate heel touchers have you lying on your back with knees bent, lifting your shoulders slightly and reaching one hand toward the same-side heel, then the other, back and forth. It's a simple, floor-based exercise that trains the obliques along the sides of your abdomen through repeated small side bends, and it works well as part of a rounded core routine alongside straight-ahead crunching movements.
Why it works
A standard crunch curls your spine straight forward, which mostly targets the muscles running up the center of your abdomen. Reaching side to side toward your heels instead asks your obliques, the muscles along the sides of your trunk, to shorten and lengthen with each reach. Because the range at each side is small, the exercise relies on repeated, controlled reps rather than one big effort, which makes it a reasonable choice for building oblique endurance without needing any equipment.
Set up
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Lift your shoulders slightly off the floor into a light crunch position.
- Let your arms rest at your sides, reaching toward your heels.
How to do it
- Reach one hand toward the heel on the same side, bending slightly to that side.
- Return to center with control.
- Reach the other hand toward the opposite heel, bending to that side instead.
- Keep your shoulders lifted slightly off the floor throughout, rather than resting down between reaches.
- Continue alternating sides at a steady, controlled pace.
- Keep your lower back gently pressed into the floor the entire time.
Form cues
- Small side bend, not a big twist.
- Shoulders stay lifted between reaches.
- Lower back stays down.
- Controlled pace, not rushed.
Breathing: Exhale as you reach toward each heel, inhale as you return to center.
Common mistakes
Letting the shoulders drop all the way back to the floor between reaches.
Fix: Keep a light, continuous crunch throughout the set rather than resetting fully after each side.
Twisting the hips instead of bending through the torso.
Fix: Keep your hips and knees still; the movement should come from a side bend in your upper body, not a hip rotation.
Rushing through reps with a small, sloppy range.
Fix: Slow the tempo down and reach with real intent toward each heel; a controlled pace trains more than a fast, shallow one.
Straining the neck by craning forward to reach further.
Fix: Keep your neck relaxed and let the reach come from your obliques bending your torso, not your neck stretching forward.
How to program it
- Start with 2 or 3 sets of 12 to 16 total reaches (6 to 8 per side), two or three days a week.
- It pairs well with a straight-ahead crunch or dead bug in the same session for well-rounded core training.
- Progress by slowing the tempo and adding a brief pause at each reach before increasing reps.
- Works well as part of a core circuit alongside a static hold like the plank.
Safety notes
- If your neck strains, keep your shoulders lifted only slightly and avoid craning forward to reach further.
- Keep the movement controlled; a fast, jerky reach trains momentum more than the obliques.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many alternate heel touchers should I do?
Twelve to sixteen total reaches, split evenly between sides, for 2 or 3 sets, is a solid amount. A controlled pace matters more than a high count.
What muscles do heel touchers work?
Mainly the obliques along the sides of your abdomen, with your upper abs assisting to keep your shoulders lifted throughout the set.
Why does my neck hurt during heel touchers?
This usually means the shoulders are lifting too high or the neck is craning forward to reach further. Keep the lift small and let your obliques, not your neck, drive the reach.
Heel touchers vs Russian twists: what's the difference?
Heel touchers keep your feet on the floor with a smaller, simpler side bend. Russian twists are done seated with your feet often lifted, involving more rotation and a bigger range. Heel touchers are the gentler starting point for the same oblique muscles.