The ankle touch, often called the side crunch or penguin walk, is an effective bodyweight exercise. This movement specifically targets the muscles along the sides of the torso, contributing to stability and rotational power. This guide provides clear instructions on achieving proper form for the ankle touch.
Setting Up and Performing the Movement
Begin by lying supine with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, positioned about hip-width apart. Your lower back should maintain a slight, natural curve against the floor, but avoid excessive arching. Place your arms straight alongside your body with your palms facing down.
Initiate the movement by performing a slight upper-body crunch, lifting your head and shoulders off the ground only a few inches. As you lift, exhale gently to further activate the core.
Next, maintaining the elevated torso position, use your side abdominal muscles to slide your right hand down toward your right ankle. This is a controlled lateral flexion of the spine, where the goal is to contract the side of the waist. Return the right hand back to the center and immediately repeat the motion on the left side, keeping the movement fluid and rhythmic.
What Muscles Should Be Working
The primary movers in the ankle touch are the internal and external oblique muscles. These muscles run along the sides of the abdomen and contract powerfully to pull the rib cage closer to the hip bone.
The rectus abdominis, the muscle responsible for holding the upper body in a slightly crunched position, functions secondarily to stabilize the pelvis. Proper execution ensures that the effort is concentrated in the sides, preventing strain on the neck or lower back.
Avoiding Common Technique Mistakes
A frequent error involves pulling on the head or neck to initiate the movement, which shifts tension away from the core and risks cervical strain. To correct this, keep your chin slightly tucked, imagining an apple resting between your chin and chest, and focus on lifting only the shoulder blades off the floor.
Another mistake is lifting the lower back or tailbone off the floor, which disengages the core and can strain the lumbar spine. Maintain constant contact between the lower back and the floor throughout the entire side-to-side motion. The movement should be slow and deliberate, avoiding the use of momentum to swing the body from side to side.
Attempting to reach too far or too fast often compromises the isolation of the oblique muscles. When the range of motion exceeds the point of maximum oblique contraction, the exercise relies more on hip flexors or general torso movement. Focus on quality contraction over simply touching the ankle, ensuring the side crunch is the driving force.
Ways to Adjust the Difficulty
To increase the challenge, integrate an isometric hold by pausing for two to three seconds at the peak of the side contraction before returning to the center. Alternatively, slightly increase the distance between your feet and your glutes, requiring a greater degree of lateral flexion to reach the ankles.
An advanced modification involves holding a light weight resting across the chest. This added resistance increases the load on the rectus abdominis and obliques as they work to stabilize the upper body while maintaining the slight crunch.
For those needing less intensity, simply reduce the range of motion, aiming for the calf or mid-shin instead of the ankle. Additionally, placing the feet closer to the glutes shortens the necessary reach.