This exercise is one of the best abdominal exercises science has to offer. The proof: A study conducted at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University compared 13 different exercises that target the midsection, ranging from the Crunch to exercises that employed at-home and gym equipment. According to the findings, the top-ranked exercise was the Bicycle Maneuver, an exercise that has been around for a long time and is a staple of exercise classes everywhere. Compared to exercises like the Crunch (which is a great waist-firming move), the Bicycle Maneuver was 21/2 times more effective at working the obliques, and at least 50 percent better at strengthening the rectus abdominus, the main ab muscle that runs the length of your torso.
Positioning
Lie on your back on an exercise mat or carpeted surface. Keep your lower back pressed into the surface and flatten the arch of your lower back; place your fingers on the side of your head just behind your ears. Bend your knees so that your thighs are at about a 90-degree angle to the floor.
The Move
Simultaneously, lift your shoulders off the floor and bring your left knee to your right armpit, while straightening your right leg. Using a slow bicycle-pedaling motion, straighten your left leg, while bringing your right knee in toward your left armpit. Extend your legs out only as far as is comfortable for you, without arching your back. Continue alternating in this fashion for the suggested number of repititions
Advanced Tip
Unlike other muscles, you can work your abdominals every day. With the bicycle maneuver, try to work up to five or six sessions a week for a more advanced abdominal workout.
