Side Crunch with Leg Lift

Side Crunch with Leg Lift Basics

Primary Muscles Worked: Obliques, Tensor Fascia Latae

Synergist Muscles: Rectus Abdominus, Transverse Abdominus, Psoas, Glutes

Mechanics: Compound

Equipment: Open Floor Space

How To Perform The Side Crunch with Leg Lift

• Lay on the floor so that the left side of your body touches the floor and the right side faces upward.
• Position your legs so that they are stacked on top of each other with your knees and ankles stacked as well.
• Place your right arm behind your head.
• Lift your left shoulder and the left side of your body up off the floor laterally.
• Simultaneously and in coordination with your upper body movement lift your legs off of the floor and toward your right elbow.
• As your upper body and legs get higher up, bend your knees so that you draw them toward elbow.
• Touch your right elbow to your knees. Hold this position for a brief moment.
• Slowly lower your upper body and your legs back toward the floor.
• Complete your desired number of repetitions and then roll on to the left side of your body and repeat.

Side Crunch with Leg Lift Tips

• Do not pull on the side of your head as you lift your body up. This will put excess lateral stress on your neck and will diminish the required strength of your obliques for the lift.
• Focus more on lifting your upper body straight rather than creating a sharp bend toward your legs. This will keep spinal flexion to a minimum which is safer for the spine.
• You can also perform this move only lifting up only your top leg. This will make the leg lift portion of this exercise easier and decrease the amount of oblique strength required to perform the movement.

Side Crunch with Leg Lift and Sports Application

The side crunch with leg lift exercise can benefit athletes who require improvements in oblique and lower limb coordination. Although a bit of a stretch, the most direct example of this move in a sports related setting is kneeing an opponent while holding onto their body with your hands from an angled position. Swimmers and athletes in throwing sports also require exceptional oblique and lower limb coordination as well.