Toe Touch

How to do the Toe Touch

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and arms at your sides.
2. Raise both legs to 90 degrees so they are perpendicular to the floor, keeping them as straight as possible.
3. Extend your arms overhead, then lift your shoulder blades off the floor and reach your hands toward your toes.
4. Touch or reach as close to your toes as possible while keeping your legs vertical.
5. Lower your torso back to the starting position with control while maintaining your legs at 90 degrees.
6. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps, keeping tension in your abs throughout.

Form tips

• Keep your lower back pressed into the floor throughout the movement to prevent arching and ensure your abs do the work.
• Focus on curling your torso upward rather than swinging your arms, using your abs to lift your shoulder blades off the ground.
• Maintain your legs at a consistent 90-degree angle instead of letting them drop or rock forward during the reach.

Common mistakes

• Swinging the arms to generate momentum: this reduces abdominal engagement and turns the movement into a ballistic exercise rather than a controlled contraction.
• Allowing the lower back to arch off the floor: this shifts stress away from the abs and can place unnecessary strain on the lumbar spine.
• Dropping the legs below 90 degrees during the reach: this makes the exercise easier by reducing the lever arm and decreases the demand on the abs.

Sets and reps

For strength, perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps with controlled tempo, and for hypertrophy, aim for 3 to 5 sets of 12 to 20 reps with a focus on time under tension.

Frequently asked questions

What if I cannot reach my toes during the toe touch?

Reach as far as you can while maintaining proper form and keeping your legs vertical. Your range of motion will improve with consistent practice as your abdominal strength and hamstring flexibility develop.

Should my legs stay completely straight during toe touches?

Keep your legs as straight as possible, but a slight bend in the knees is acceptable if hamstring tightness prevents you from holding them vertical. Prioritize keeping your legs at 90 degrees over locking them out completely.

How is the toe touch different from a regular crunch?

The toe touch requires you to lift your torso higher and reach further than a standard crunch, increasing the range of motion and abdominal contraction. The vertical leg position also adds a stability challenge and keeps constant tension on the abs throughout the set.

More core exercises

• Bear Plank Shoulder TapCore · Bodyweight
• Bicycle CrunchCore · Bodyweight
• Bird DogCore · Bodyweight
• Copenhagen PlankCore · Bodyweight
• CrunchCore · Bodyweight
• Dead BugCore · Bodyweight