Alternate Heel Touches

Alternate Heel Touches trains controlled trunk rotation or lateral flexion without using momentum.

Primary muscle

Abs

Primary musclesObliques, Quadratus lumborum

Secondary musclesRectus abdominis, Erector spinae, Gluteus medius

Equipment

Bodyweight

How to perform Alternate Heel Touches

Follow the sequence in order, paying attention to the starting position, movement path, and finish described in each step.

Lie on your back with the knees bent, feet planted, and arms reaching toward the heels. Keep the knees frozen so the legs remain completely still throughout the set.
Glue your lower back to the mat by pressing the lower spine down to remove any arch and lock the pelvis in place.
Bring the ribs down to the hips by drawing the rib cage slightly toward the pelvis to engage the transverse abdominis before moving.
Hold an apple under your chin by keeping space between the chin and chest so the neck stays relaxed.
Slide, do not swing. Move the rib cage laterally toward one hip and heel without throwing the shoulders back and forth.
Create an accordion squeeze by shortening the distance between the lowest rib and the hip crest as you reach.
Breathe out on each reach, pause at the pinch for one full second, and breathe in as you return smoothly to the centre.
Alternate sides while keeping the lower back pressed down, the ribs controlled, and both knees completely still.

Keep the knees aligned; if the hips turn with the rib cage, pivot the feet instead of twisting through planted knees.

Move through a smooth trunk range rather than throwing the arms or load from side to side.

Stop before the resistance drags the ribs away from a stable pelvis.

Keep the shoulders and pelvis supported throughout both directions.

Twisting through the knees: Keep the knees aligned; if the hips turn with the rib cage, pivot the feet instead of twisting through planted knees.
Forcing end range: Stop before the resistance drags the ribs away from a stable pelvis.
Stop when the exercise produces sharp, catching, radiating, or increasing joint pain rather than the expected muscular effort.
Alternative Pallof press: Train the trunk to resist rotation before producing a larger rotational range.

Place Alternate Heel Touches after the main compound lifts, in a focused core block, or beside an exercise that does not require a fresh trunk.

Use two to four times per week while accounting for trunk work already supplied by squats, hinges, carries, and overhead lifting.

Goal	Sets	Reps or time	Rest	Effort and execution
Control / technique	2–3	5–8 reps per side	45–75 sec	Stop well before position changes
Strength / endurance	2–4	8–15 reps per side	60–90 sec	Stop while 1–3 good-form reps are still possible

Use Alternate Heel Touches after Barbell Back Squats or Deadlifts when the main strength work is complete.
Pair it with Dead Bug or Cable Pallof Press to train the core through complementary movement patterns.

Scale the movement