The elbow to knee exercise is a bodyweight movement targeting the abdominal muscles, especially the abs and obliques, through a twisting, crunch-like motion.
Also Works
Obliques
How to Perform
1
Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
2
Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
3
Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ground, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
4
At the same time, bring your left knee towards your right elbow, creating a twisting motion.
5
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and extend your legs back to the starting position.
6
Repeat the movement, this time bringing your left elbow towards your right knee and your right knee towards your left elbow.
7
Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Drive the rotation from your ribcage, not just your elbow, to fully engage the obliques through the twist.
•Keep your lower back pressed into the floor throughout the movement to prevent hip flexors from taking over.
•Exhale forcefully as you twist to increase the abdominal contraction.
Common Mistakes
•Pulling on the neck with the hands instead of lifting with the abs, which strains the cervical spine.
•Moving the elbow toward the knee by just flapping the arm rather than actually rotating the torso.
•Rushing through reps and using momentum instead of controlled, deliberate rotations.