How to do the Elbow To Knee
CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate
The elbow to knee crunch is a deceptively simple movement that builds real rotational core strength by forcing your obliques and rectus abdominis to work together under control. Master this and you lay the foundation for every twisting, stabilizing demand your body will ever face.
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Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back
Step-by-step
- Lie flat on your back, hands behind your head with elbows wide, and raise both legs to a tabletop position with knees at 90 degrees.
- Engage your core and lift your shoulder blades off the floor, keeping your lower back pressed firmly into the ground throughout the movement.
- Rotate your right elbow toward your left knee while simultaneously extending your right leg straight and low, then return to center with control.
- Alternate sides in a fluid, deliberate tempo, ensuring full rotation of the torso rather than just swinging the elbow.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on the neck with the hands, which shifts stress off the abs and onto the cervical spine. Fix: keep your hands lightly behind your ears and drive the movement from your ribcage rotating toward the opposite hip.
- Rushing through the reps so momentum does the work instead of the muscles. Fix: slow the movement to a 2-second drive and a 2-second return to keep constant tension on the core.
- Barely rotating the torso and just tapping elbow to knee with no real twist. Fix: focus on driving the same-side shoulder blade up and across toward the opposite knee, not just moving the elbow.
Pro tip — Exhale sharply at the peak of each rotation to maximize intra-abdominal tension and force a deeper contraction from the obliques before you return to the starting position.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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