# Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch

A bicycle crunch with a band anchored near the floor and looped around both feet. Trains the obliques and abs as your torso rotates toward a knee that draws in against the band.

- Intermediate · Isolation
- Equipment: Resistance bands
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/band-bicycle-crunch/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-bicycle-crunch/

## Muscles worked

- Obliques: 9/10
- Abs: 8/10
- Core: 4/10

## How to do the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch

1. Lie on your back, feet in the band straps, hands behind your head.
2. Rotate your torso, bringing one shoulder to the opposite knee, and extend the other leg.
3. Alternate sides smoothly, focusing on twisting your upper body, not pulling with your arms.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Loop a band around a sturdy anchor near floor level and place a strap around each foot.
2. Lie on your back with your feet toward the anchor and move back until the band is taut.
3. Place your hands lightly behind your head and lift your shoulder blades off the floor.
4. Rotate your torso to bring one shoulder toward the opposite knee as that knee draws in.
5. Keep the other leg straight and low without letting your lower back arch.
6. Switch sides smoothly, bringing the other shoulder toward the opposite knee while changing leg positions.
7. Keep alternating with each rep driven by trunk rotation rather than pulling with your arms.

## Common mistakes

- Pulling the head with hands
- Letting the lower back arch
- Only moving the elbows
- Letting the band pull the leg back
- Rushing through short reps

## Form cues

- Lead with the shoulder
- Keep elbows wide
- Hands stay by head
- Extend the free leg
- Exhale on each twist

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 12–16 reps · rest 1 min · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **No equipment**: [Alternating V-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/alternating-v-up/), [Hyperextension Bench Oblique Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/hyperextension-bench-oblique-crunch/)
- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Twisting Sit-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-twisting-sit-up/), [Dumbbell Russian Twist](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-russian-twist/)
- **Cable machine**: [Cable Mid-to-Low Woodchop](https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-mid-to-low-woodchop/), [Cable Oblique Twist](https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-oblique-twist/)
- **Barbell**: [Landmine Russian Twist](https://seto.fit/exercises/landmine-russian-twist/), [Seated Barbell Twist](https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-barbell-twist/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Bent Knee Lying Twist](https://seto.fit/exercises/bent-knee-lying-twist/) — 10% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Cable Horizontal Woodchop](https://seto.fit/exercises/cable-horizontal-woodchop/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch — Intermediate**
- Harder: [Hanging Oblique Knee Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/hanging-oblique-knee-raise/) — 60% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch work?

Primary: Obliques 9/10, Abs 8/10. Also works: Core 4/10.

### When should I do the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 6 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch?

Strength: 3 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 12–16 reps, rest 1 min, 2 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch?

No equipment: Alternating V-Up, Hyperextension Bench Oblique Crunch. Dumbbells: Dumbbell Twisting Sit-Up, Dumbbell Russian Twist. Cable machine: Cable Mid-to-Low Woodchop, Cable Oblique Twist. Barbell: Landmine Russian Twist, Seated Barbell Twist.

### What is an easier version of the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch?

Cable Horizontal Woodchop (Beginner), Bent Knee Lying Twist (10% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Resistance Band Bicycle Crunch?

Hanging Oblique Knee Raise (60% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/