If you’re looking to tone your core, the bicycle crunch is a good addition to your workout. It has the benefits of the standard crunch, but it engages additional core muscles — working your internal and . Bicycle crunches improve stability, and coordination along with .
A strong core is needed for everyday activities like climbing stairs, lifting, twisting and reaching, so you’re less likely to strain or injure yourself if your core muscles are in good shape. Bicycle crunches can help tone the belly area, but keep in mind that there's really no such thing as . While you're working the abdominal muscles in a bicycle crunch, you'll , which can have a toning and tightening effect.
Strength training and building muscle also helps to speed up the metabolism, which helps to burn fat everywhere, including the belly. Adding bicycle crunches to a well-rounded workout routine, along with a healthy eating plan, is a great way to tone your stomach and help get rid of excess belly fat. The speed of your crunches should depend on your goals.
Doing them quickly speeds up your heart rate and burns more calories, while doing them slowly will help you to engage each muscle. Generally I recommend doing bicycle crunches slowly for a number of reasons. As a Pilates instructor and personal trainer, I recommend perfecting the form of the move, which will help you to engage your deepest abdominal muscle, the transverse abdominis, which can be missed when you speed through an ab workout.
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