How to do the Alternate Heel Touchers
Alternate Heel Touchers is a beginner single-joint isolation pushing exercise targeting the Abs in the Waist region. Performed using bodyweight, it falls under the strength category. Secondary muscles engaged include Obliques.
Alternate Heel Touchers demonstration · © GymiaFit
Alternate Heel Touchers at a glance
- Primary muscles
- Abs
- Secondary muscles
- Obliques
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation (single-joint)
- Force
- Push
Alternate Heel Touchers step by step
- 1Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- 2Extend your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the ground.
- 3Engaging your abs, lift your shoulders off the ground and reach your right hand towards your right heel.
- 4Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side, reaching your left hand towards your left heel.
- 5Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Alternate Heel Touchers — questions
What muscles does the Alternate Heel Touchers work?
The Alternate Heel Touchers primarily targets the Abs. It also recruits the Obliques as secondary movers.
What equipment do I need for the Alternate Heel Touchers?
None — the Alternate Heel Touchers uses your bodyweight only, so it works at home with nothing but floor space.
Is the Alternate Heel Touchers suitable for beginners?
Yes. It is classed as a beginner movement: the pattern is simple enough to learn in a session and easy to scale by adjusting range of motion or load.
What can I do instead of the Alternate Heel Touchers?
3/4 Sit-up, 45° Side Bend, Air Bike train the same muscles and make good substitutes when the equipment is taken or the movement does not suit you.
Log it, don't guess it.
The GymiaFit app has the Alternate Heel Touchers demo, form cues and set logging built in — plus a muscle map that shows what you have actually trained this week. Free on iOS and Android.