Not all exercises are created equal when it comes to building your abdominal muscles. Traditionally, to work your obliques (the muscles that run along the sides of your core and help stabilize your body as you bend and twist your torso), you’ll probably do Russian twists, or side planks. This includes: That being said, if you find it hard to get down on your exercise mat and are looking for a standing ab exercise that will give you similar benefits, I’ve found exactly what you’re looking for.
The Standing Crossover Toe Touch is a standing abdominal exercise that targets your obliques. That said, this compound bodyweight ab exercise also targets your lower back muscles, so you’ll get some serious benefits. It’s great for incorporating into your warm-up before lifting weights, but it’s also great for people who want to work on core strength without lying on an exercise mat. But how do you do it? And what would happen if you stood and touched your toes 50 times a day for a week? To find out more, we tried it. Read on to find out what happened.
Remember, what works for me may not be right for you or your body. If you’re new to exercising or returning to exercise after an injury or pregnancy, we recommend having your form checked by a personal trainer before adding reps.
How to do a standing crossover toe touch
First, let’s take a look at how to perform a standing crossover toe touch with perfect form.
- Start by standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your arms out on either side of your body. Turn your toes slightly outward and bend your knees slightly.
- Train your core by focusing on sucking your belly button toward your spine.
- Bend at the waist and push your buttocks back, then twist your torso and lower one hand to touch the opposite leg. Keep your back as straight as possible during the movement. This is not a forward bend.
- Pause here and return to the starting position, keeping your back as straight as possible throughout the movement.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Alternate sides until you have completed the required number of repetitions.
As with all sit-up exercises, it’s important to move slowly and with control throughout this movement. You should keep your back straight and open your chest as you rotate from side to side. If you round your back, you won’t have to engage your obliques as much, making the exercise less effective.
Depending on your mobility, you may not actually be able to touch your toes, but this is not a problem. Reach out as far as you can or bend your knees so you can reach your toes. Remember to keep squeezing your obliques as you rotate your torso from side to side.
I did a standing crossover toe touch every day for a week — here’s what happened
This is what happened when I performed 50 standing crossover toe touches every day for a week.
I felt this in my hamstrings and lower back.
As mentioned in the intro, this is definitely a compound ab exercise because it doesn’t just target your abdominal muscles. During this exercise, I felt my shoulders, hamstrings, lower back, and glutes working, especially when I added this exercise to my routine on days when I spent hours sitting behind a desk. As a runner, I usually have pretty tight hip flexors, but I find this sit-up exercise helps stretch my hips, hamstrings, and glutes.
For the first few days, I decided to do all 50 reps in a row, with a few seconds of rest in between. I focused on slow, controlled form and treating it like a yoga sidebend, focusing on reaching the opposite arm toward the ceiling as I twisted. I focused on my obliques, which helped establish the mind-body connection.
It’s harder than it looks
On day one, I thought this week would be a walk in the park, but a few days into the challenge, I focused on twisting my core and felt my obliques pop. Again, it’s important to think about drawing your belly button into your spine as you twist during this movement. It is important to avoid arching your back. If you notice your back arching during this movement, pause to reset or bend your knees to better touch your feet.
As the weeks went on, I found myself getting pretty bored with this move, but unlike doing Russian twists every day for a week, this move didn’t put any strain on my lower back. Far from being an easy option, doing sit-ups while standing can improve your balance, coordination, and stability better than doing them lying down. It’s also more likely to recruit other muscle groups, making it great when you’re short on space.
Finally, standing sit-ups are often easier for people recovering from an injury or pregnant women who don’t want to lie on their backs for too long.nevertheless Always talk to your doctor or midwife first), or people with arthritis or joint injuries that make it difficult to kneel or do hand-and-knee core exercises such as planks.
No visible changes were seen in the abdominal muscles.
As with most of these week-long challenges, I didn’t see any visible changes in my abdomen. Visible abs reflect your overall body fat percentage, not the result of endless crunches, planks, and stand-up twists. Here’s how to calculate your body fat percentage, why it’s important, and 5 reasons why you can’t calculate your body fat percentage. Look at your abs even though you’re working out.
That said, I had a lot of fun doing this standing sit-up exercise, and I’m definitely going to include it in my warm-up before going for a run from now on. By doing this, I was able to stretch my lower back and strengthen my oblique muscles, which in turn allowed me to run with better form. If you want to work your obliques without straining your lower back, this is definitely something to add to your routine.
