Heel Touches: Correct Form, Tips, Alternatives

Heel touches, also called alternating heel taps, are a simple but sneaky-hard ab move that hammers your obliques and keeps your rectus abdominis (your “six pack” muscle) under constant tension. When you brace correctly, your transverse abdominis (TVA) also kicks in to help stabilize your spine throughout the set.

That matters because your deeper core muscles (TVA and internal obliques) are basically your built-in lifting belt. They help with spinal stability, balance, and keeping your lower back happy during everything from squats to carries to everyday life. Heel touches are mostly an isolation exercise, so they are not the top pick for calorie burn, but they are great for building control and endurance in the muscles that keep your midsection strong.

Heel touches are effective for training both the superficial and deep core, so let’s dig in.

What Are Heel Touches?

Heel touches are a side-bending, oblique-focused core exercise done on your back with knees bent. You lift your shoulders slightly off the floor and alternate reaching one hand toward the same-side heel. Each rep is a small movement, but your obliques have to contract hard to drive the reach while your abs stay braced.

The beauty of heel touches is that they scale well. Beginners can keep the range of motion short and focus on bracing. More advanced lifters can lengthen the range, slow the tempo, or add resistance. And because balance and trunk control matter more as we age, regularly training moves like this can help keep your midsection strong and stable.

What Muscles Do Heel Touches Work?

Heel touches primarily hit the obliques (internal and external) while the rectus abdominis stays contracted to keep your shoulders lifted. The TVA is also active as you brace and keep your torso from shifting or arching. Many people also feel hip flexor involvement depending on how close the heels are to the body.

Here’s a brief breakdown of the muscles used:

Transverse Abdominis (TVA): The transverse abdominis is a deep layer of core muscle that wraps the midsection. It helps stabilize your spine and pelvis and supports efficient movement in almost every lift and athletic task.

Rectus Abdominis: This is the long front abdominal muscle most people associate with “abs.” During heel touches, it works isometrically to keep your shoulders lifted and your ribcage controlled.

Internal Obliques: These sit underneath the external obliques and contribute to side bending, rotation, and torso stabilization. They also help keep your trunk steady when the movement is small but continuous, like heel touches.

External Obliques: The external obliques are larger, more superficial muscles that help you bend and twist the torso. During heel touches, they are heavily involved in the side-to-side reach and squeeze.

Hip Flexors: The hip flexors help bring your legs and trunk together. In heel touches, they are not the main target, but you may feel them depending on your setup and mobility.

How to Do Heel Touches Correctly

Form matters here because the goal is to keep tension on the abs and obliques, not to crank your neck or bounce side to side. Keep the movement controlled and focus on the squeeze more than the speed.

1. Lie on your back with feet flat and knees bent around 90 degrees. Arms are long at your sides with fingers pointing toward your heels.
2. Brace your core by gently pulling your belly button in toward your spine and keeping your ribs down. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor like the top of a crunch. Keep your neck neutral and eyes toward the ceiling.
3. Reach your right hand toward your right heel by bending through the torso. Think “short, controlled side crunch,” not a big swing.
4. Return to center under control, then reach left hand to left heel. Exhale on each reach, inhale as you come back to center.
5. Move slow enough to feel your obliques doing the work. Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side to start.

If you feel sharp pain, numbness, or pain that shoots into your back or hips, stop the exercise and speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

Common Mistakes With Alternating Heel Touches

Most “meh” heel touches come down to one thing: losing tension. If you are not actively bracing and squeezing, the movement turns into a shoulder wiggle that does not challenge the obliques much.

1. Pulling on your neck or tucking the chin

Your rectus abdominis is holding you in a partial crunch, so your neck wants to help. Keep your chin neutral and your gaze up. If your neck tightens, reset and reduce how high you lift your shoulders.

2. Rushing the reps

Speed usually turns into momentum. Slow down and make each reach deliberate so your obliques stay under tension.

3. Letting ribs flare and low back arch

If your ribcage pops up, your TVA is not doing its job. Think ribs down, abs tight, and keep your lower back gently anchored to the floor.

4. Poor breathing

Exhale on the reach, inhale on the return. That pattern helps you keep tension without turning the set into a breath-hold contest.

How Many Sets and Reps Should You Do for Heel Taps?

Use heel touches like an accessory: chase quality reps, stop before your form falls apart, then progress over time. Your starting point depends on your current core strength and your ability to maintain position without neck strain.

• Beginner: 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side
• Intermediate: 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side
• Advanced: 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 20 reps per side or timed sets of 30 to 45 seconds

How to Increase the Difficulty of Heel Touches

Because heel touches are usually bodyweight, small tweaks can make a big difference. Use these options to progress without turning the move into sloppy chaos.

• Slow the tempo: Hold the reach for 1 to 2 seconds and control the return.
• Add load: Hold light dumbbells or loop a resistance band around your upper back and into your hands for added tension.
• Adjust foot position: Heels farther away increases lever length and difficulty. Bringing feet closer can make it easier if you feel it too much in the hip flexors.
• Use a decline setup: A decline bench makes the partial crunch position harder to hold and increases the challenge.

You can also add a short burnout set at the end of your core session, focusing on perfect control.

9 Best Heel Touch Alternatives

Variety matters with core training. If heel touches are not your thing, or you want to round out your program, these options will hit your obliques and rectus abdominis in different ways.

Plank Spiders: From a high plank, drive one knee toward the same-side elbow with control. Keep hips level and spine long. Aim for 10 to 12 reps per side for 3 rounds.

Side Planks: Prop on elbow, lift hips, keep body straight. Hold 10 to 20 seconds, 2 to 3 rounds per side while breathing steadily.

Elbow to Knee Bicycle Crunch: Keep shoulders lifted, rotate through the torso, and move with control. Aim for 12 to 15 reps per side for 3 rounds.

Reverse Crunch Toe Tap: Curl pelvis up, bring knees toward chest, extend legs back to 90 degrees, and tap toes down lightly. Aim for 12 to 15 reps for 3 rounds.

Hanging “X” Crunch: Hanging from a bar, drive knees up in a crisscross pattern. Aim for 8 to 10 reps per side for 3 rounds.

Russian Twists: Sit tall, lean back slightly, rotate torso side to side. Add a dumbbell or kettlebell to progress. Aim for 12 to 15 reps per side for 3 rounds.

Hollow Hold: Press low back into the floor, lift shoulders and legs, and breathe steadily. Hold 20 to 30 seconds, repeat 2 to 3 times.

Leg Downs: Keep low back pressed down and lower one straight leg at a time close to the floor, then alternate. Aim for 10 to 12 reps per side for 3 rounds.

Rocking Abdominal Crunch: Small controlled crunch pulses with arms reaching toward knees. Keep neck neutral. Do 15 to 20 reps for 3 rounds.

Related:

• Best Oblique Exercises
• 30 Best Bodyweight Core Exercises
• 29 Best Plank Variations
• Dead Bug Exercise: Correct Form & 4 Variations
• 14 Transverse Plane Exercises for Rotational Core Strength
• Sit Ups vs Crunches, Which is Better?
• Planks vs Crunches, Which is Better?

Final Note:

If your goal is a stronger, more defined core and better oblique endurance, heel touches are a solid move to include 2 to 3 times per week. Keep the reps controlled, focus on the squeeze, and pair them with other core patterns (anti-extension, anti-rotation, and carries) for the best overall results.

If you have a current injury, lingering pain, or a medical condition, consult your primary care physician or a qualified professional before starting a new exercise routine.