Male model ex_PYHLC3

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Waist · Body Weight

Alternate Heel Touches

intermediatestrengthOne side at a time

Alternate Heel Touches is an intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the abs (waist), with the hip flexors assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 3 sets of 10-15 reps per side, and it burns about 5.5 calories per minute.

Target: Abs
Body part: Waist
Equipment: Body Weight
Category: Strength
Mechanic: Isolation
Force: Push
Sets × reps: 3 × 10-15
Calories / min: ≈ 5.5 kcal

Primary muscles

Abdominals · rectus abdominis
Obliques · external, internal obliques

Secondary muscles

Hip Flexors · iliopsoas

How to do Alternate Heel Touches

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Lift your shoulders slightly off the floor, engaging your core.
Reach your right hand towards your right heel, then return to the center position.
Reach your left hand towards your left heel. Continue alternating sides in this manner.

Form tips

Keep your shoulders off the mat and your core engaged throughout the exercise to maximize effectiveness.
Focus on using your oblique muscles to reach towards your heels rather than using your arms.
Perform the movement slowly and with control to maintain proper form and maximize muscle engagement.

Alternate Heel Touches alternatives

Med Ball Toe Touches

Abs · intermediate

Dumbbell Straight Leg Russian Twist

Abs · intermediate

Abdominal Crunches Machine

Abs · beginner

Landmine Kneeling Twist

Abs · beginner

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90 Degree Heel Touch

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Alternate Leg Raise With Head Up

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Alternate Lying Floor Leg Raise

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Middle Crunches

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45 Degree Bicycle Twisting Crunch

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Alternate Heel Touches FAQ

What muscles does Alternate Heel Touches work?

Alternate Heel Touches mainly works the abs in the waist (rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques). The hip flexors work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Alternate Heel Touches?

None. Alternate Heel Touches is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.

How many sets and reps of Alternate Heel Touches should I do?

Start with 3 sets of 10-15 reps per side. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Alternate Heel Touches good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler waist exercises.

How many calories does Alternate Heel Touches burn?

About 5.5 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 4.5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 55 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Alternate Heel Touches?

Other exercises for the abs include Med Ball Toe Touches, Dumbbell Straight Leg Russian Twist, Abdominal Crunches Machine and Landmine Kneeling Twist.

For developers

Use Alternate Heel Touches in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

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# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_PYHLC3" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_PYHLC3",
  "name": "Alternate Heel Touches",
  "model": "male",
  "target": "Abs",
  "equipment": "Body Weight",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_PYHLC3/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_PYHLC3/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}