This Is The One Six Pack-Sculpting Move You’re Not Doing
When I look back on my years of participating in competitive gymnastics (and alllll the conditioning), a few exercises in particular spring to mind. Pullups. V-ups. Lunges. Hollow body holds. And, of course, toe touches.
Now, when I say toe touches, a variety of movements may come to mind. I’m referring to the core exercise during which you lie on your back, hold your legs straight up in the air, and reach up toward your toes.
If you’re going for a six pack (get it, girl!), this movement may be great for you. Toe touches work your superficial core muscles (specifically the rectus abdominis muscle group), according to trainer Kehinde Anjorin, NCSF, CFSC, founder of PowerInMovement. They’re a great exercise, she says, if you want to sculpt your abs to make them more visible.
“I love the toe touch because who doesn’t want to tone their abs?" Anjorin notes. "Who doesn’t want to get a nice definition?”
Toe touches also can provide a good hamstring stretch, according to the trainer. If you’re someone who doesn’t have great hamstring flexibility (as in, you have difficulty straightening your knees during this move), she explains, doing toe touches more often can eventually help you to improve it. Still, the main benefit is a stronger core.
Now, I know you’re getting eager to bust out some toe touches and see if they live up to the hype. But before you reach for the sky, read on for everything you need to know about doing them right.
How To Do Toe Touches Properly
All you need is a mat and Anjorin’s simple tips to nail your toe touch form. Here's a step-by-step guide to toe touches:
First, grab a mat. A yoga mat is preferred — you’ll want something cushioned so you’re comfortable lying down on it.
Next, lie on your back with your palms down by your sides. Bend your knees and bring them toward your torso, then slowly start to straighten your legs. They should ultimately end up perpendicular to the ground. (If this is too difficult, stay tuned — we’ve got mods coming your way.)
Lift your arms. While exhaling, slowly roll your shoulders up off the mat, reaching towards your toes. Round your shoulders forward (but keep them down) to create a concave shape with your torso. Your lower back should stay on the ground, but don’t press it into the floor — that’ll flatten the natural curve of your lower back and take you out of the correct position.
Inhale as you lower back down. When you reach the ground, keep the tension in your abs firing. In other words, don’t just relax on the mat. That's one rep.
Repeat for three sets of 12 to 15 reps.
Pro tip: Remember to move slowly and with control as you rise up and as you lower back down.
Add Toe Touches To Your Workout Routine
As for how you incorporate toe touches into your fitness regimen, it all depends on your goals, Anjorin explains. If you’re trying to sculpt and tone your abs, the trainer suggests doing them two or three times per week.
“I consider this an accessory movement,” she adds, meaning you’ll want to do this finisher move after your main lifts. And if it’s cardio day, she notes, you can still do toe touches to hit those abs, too. (P.S. Here's how to combine cardio and strength movements like a pro.)
Toe Touch Variations — For Beginners and Experts
There is more than one way to complete a toe touch. If you’re new to toe touches and find those instructions a bit too difficult (*no* shame, BTW), there are a few things you can try to make the move work for you:
If you’re struggling with flexibility (meaning you can’t straighten your knees all the way), Anjorin says, you can keep your legs bent at a 90-degree angle and reach for your knees instead of your toes. Once you’re feeling more comfortable with the exercise, she adds, you can advance and straighten your legs.
If your stability is shaky during this move, you can use a yoga block between your thighs (with bent or straight legs), Anjorin notes, to keep yourself grounded. Think of squeezing your inner thighs, she explains, to turn on your adductors and stabilize your pelvis. Alternatively, the trainer suggests straightening your legs against a wall for extra stability.
If gravity is getting you down and you find it too difficult to continually lift yourself up, Anjorin suggests trying an isometric hold. To do so, keep your knees bent and lift up, reaching your palms toward your knees, and hold in that position for 10-second increments, she explains. Eventually, you’ll be able to work up to the more dynamic movement.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to make the movement more difficult and add challenge to your abs, I’ve got a few options for you, too.
“An easy way to make it more challenging is to do more reps,” Anjorin says. For example, she explains, if you start with three sets of 10, you can scale up to three sets of 20—and eventually 30—when that becomes easy. You can then add weight to increase resistance, she notes, but don’t go too hard. She suggests holding just a light dumbbell or medicine ball in both hands while you perform the exercise.
Common Toe Touch Mistakes To Avoid
When done properly toe touches are an effective abs move, but these missteps can cheat you out of getting the workout you want. As you start to incorporate toe touches into your fitness routine, watch out for these errors:
Racing through your reps. Speeding through your toe touches can cause you to break your form, according to Anjorin.
Tensing up. “Another form breakdown I see is holding too much tension in the neck and the shoulder muscles,” Anjorin says, and adds that doing so can cause you to get fatigued much quicker. The trainer suggests using breathing to help keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.
Diving in head first. Literally. Leading with your head instead of using your arms to guide the movement is another mistake Anjorin sees. “If you’re leading with your head, you’re basically just treading into a neck workout,” she says. “You’re not optimizing the position [and] you’re not really getting the outcome of the exercise you’re looking for.”
Now, in theory, these form missteps *could* also lead to injury—but it’s not necessarily that simple. There may be many factors involved, Anjorin explains. Think of it this way: You can manage your risk of injury by making sure to perform the movements properly, she says.
The bottom line: Consider this your sign to add toe touches to your abs routine stat, especially if you're aiming for a six pack. Feel free to modify them to fit your skill level, and remember to focus on mastering that form before increasing your sets and reps.
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