Alternate Heel Touches
Also called heel touches, heel taps, alternate heel touchers
Quick answer
Alternate heel touches are a floor ab exercise where you lie on your back with knees bent, lift your shoulders slightly off the floor, and bend side to side to reach each hand toward the heel on the same side. They work the abs and obliques.
Written by the GymStreak coaching team · Updated
Muscles worked
How to do Alternate Heel Touches
- 1
Lie down on the floor with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart and your arms flat by your side. This is your starting position.
- 2
Crunch up halfway until your shoulder blades are off the ground. Your hands should be off the ground too.
- 3
Reach and touch your right heel, making sure you maintain your position off the ground. Hold the contraction for a second.
- 4
Repeat this action with your left heel. Again, making sure that you maintain your form and position off the ground.
- 5
The combination of 1 left + 1 right contraction is equal to one rep. Repeat for as many reps as necessary.
Form cues
- Lift your shoulder blades just off the floor and keep them up all set.
- Reach by bending sideways at the waist, sliding your hand toward your heel.
- Keep a fist-sized gap between your chin and chest.
- Keep your lower back resting on the floor.
- Move your feet closer to make it easier, farther away to make it harder.
Breathing: Breathe out as you reach toward each heel and breathe in as you pass back through the center, keeping a steady rhythm.
Common Alternate Heel Touches mistakes
Letting the head and shoulders drop between reps
Hold your shoulder blades off the floor for the whole set and rest between sets instead.
Pulling the chin into the chest
Look toward your knees with your neck relaxed and let your abs hold your upper body up.
Only the arms move
Shorten the side of your waist you are reaching toward so your ribs move toward that hip.
Rocking quickly with momentum
Pause for a moment at each heel before switching sides.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginnerseach side | 1–3 | 10–15 | 60–90 s |
| Muscular enduranceeach side | 2–3 | 12–20 | 30–60 s |
Starting ranges in line with the ACSM guidance on resistance training. Pick a load you can lift with good form for every rep, and add weight or reps gradually.
Alternate Heel Touches variations and alternatives
Variations
- Crunches
Build the strength to hold your shoulders up before adding the side reach.
- Feet-farther heel touches
Placing your feet farther from your hips makes each reach longer and harder.
- Paused heel touches
Holding each reach for a two-count increases time under tension without adding weight.
Alternatives
- Oblique Crunches
Another lying move that targets the obliques with a twisting crunch.
- Russian Twist
A seated rotation that works the obliques through a turning motion.
- Side Bridge
A side plank hold that trains the obliques to resist bending.
- Dumbbell Side Bend
A standing side bend that is easy to load with a dumbbell.
Alternate Heel Touches FAQ
What muscles do alternate heel touches work?
Alternate heel touches work your abs, which hold your shoulders off the floor, and your obliques on the sides of your waist, which bend your torso sideways toward each heel. Because you keep your shoulders lifted for the whole set, your abs are working the entire time, not just during each reach.
Are heel touches good for beginners?
Yes. The range of motion is small, you need no equipment, and it is easy to make them easier or harder by moving your feet. If your neck gets tired before your abs, practice regular crunches first and keep a relaxed gap between your chin and chest when you try heel touches again.
Do heel touches get rid of love handles?
No exercise removes fat from one specific spot. Heel touches strengthen the obliques underneath, but how your waist looks depends mostly on your overall body fat, which comes down to your diet, activity and training as a whole. Treat heel touches as core training, not fat loss.
How many heel touches should I do?
Start with 1–3 sets of 10–15 reps on each side, resting 60–90 seconds between sets. Once that feels easy, move to 2–3 sets of 12–20 per side with shorter rests, or place your feet farther away. End the set when you can no longer keep your shoulders off the floor.
Sources
Related calculators
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