Heel Taps Tutorial
Heel taps are a bodyweight abs exercise done on your back where you crunch up slightly and reach side to side to tap your heels with your hands. This movement targets the obliques while also keeping the front abs engaged. It is popular in ab workouts because it builds side-to-side control without equipment.
This exercise is best suited for intermediate trainees who already have basic core awareness and can keep tension in the abs without pulling on the neck. Focus on controlled side bends, steady breathing, and keeping your lower back gently pressed into the floor.
Benefits
- Strengthens the obliques through side bending
- Improves control in a semi-crunched position
- Builds endurance in the abdominal muscles
- Requires no equipment and little space
- Easy to adjust tempo for progression
- Reinforces mind to muscle connection in the abs
Setup & Starting Position
Start by lying flat on your back on a mat or comfortable floor. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, about hip width apart. Your heels should be close enough to your glutes that you can reach them with your hands when you crunch.
Place your arms by your sides with palms facing inward. Gently tilt your pelvis so your lower back presses lightly into the floor. From here, lift your head, neck, and shoulders just a few inches off the ground, creating a small crunch. Keep your chin slightly tucked and your gaze forward and up, not pulled toward your chest.
Setup tip: Before starting the first rep, do a light exhale and tighten your abs as if bracing for a cough. Hold this tension throughout the set.
How To Do Heel taps (Step-by-step)
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor
- Crunch up slightly, lifting shoulders off the ground
- Keep your lower back pressed gently into the floor
- Reach your right hand toward your right heel
- Return to center while staying crunched up
- Reach your left hand toward your left heel
- Move side to side in a controlled rhythm
- Exhale lightly with each reach
- Continue for the desired reps, then relax down
Form Cues
- Stay crunched the whole time
- Move side to side, not forward
- Chin relaxed, neck long
- Abs tight before each reach
- Control the tempo
- Heels stay planted
Breathing & Bracing
Proper breathing makes heel taps more effective and protects your lower back. Before you start the first rep, take a calm inhale through your nose. As you crunch up slightly, begin to brace your core by tightening your abs as if you are preparing for a light punch.
Each time you reach toward a heel, exhale gently through your mouth. This exhale helps deepen the ab contraction, especially in the side abs. Keep the exhale short and controlled, not forced. As you switch sides and pass through the center, take a small inhale without fully relaxing your core.
A simple rhythm to follow is exhale on the reach, inhale as you transition. Keep your ribs pulled down and avoid flaring them upward. You should be able to breathe the entire set without holding your breath.
Common Mistakes
- Pulling on the neck, fix it by relaxing the hands and keeping the chin neutral
- Sitting up too high, fix it by staying in a small crunch
- Rushing the movement, fix it by slowing down each side tap
- Feet lifting off the floor, fix it by placing heels closer to the body
- Lower back arching, fix it by lightly tucking the pelvis
- Swinging the arms, fix it by leading with the ribs and abs
How It Should Feel
Quick self check: During heel taps, you should feel steady tension across the front of your abs with a stronger burn along the sides of your waist. The effort should build gradually as the set goes on.
Good signs: You feel the obliques working on each side, your neck stays relaxed, and you can maintain the crunch position without shaking excessively. Your breathing stays controlled and you feel balanced from left to right.
Warning signs: Sharp pain in the neck, spine, or hips means you should stop immediately. If your lower back feels strained, reduce the range of motion or reset your pelvic position.
If you feel it mostly in your neck, lower your shoulders slightly and focus on bracing the abs first. If you feel it in your lower back, bring your feet a bit closer and reduce how far you reach.
Alternative Names
Heel touches, Alternating heel taps
Variations
Easier
- Short range heel taps, crunch up and reach only halfway to each heel
- Hands sliding on floor, keep hands lightly sliding instead of lifting them
Harder
- Slow tempo heel taps, take three seconds to reach each side
- Feet elevated heel taps, lift feet slightly so knees are bent but feet hover
Sample Workout
Core Focused Bodyweight Session
- High plank hold, 30 to 45 seconds
- Heel taps, 20 reps total, one rep equals right and left
- Dead bug, 10 reps per side
- Glute bridge hold, 30 seconds
Rest 45 to 60 seconds and repeat for 3 rounds. Place heel taps after a static hold to challenge your obliques while slightly fatigued.
Progression Plan
Week 1: Perform heel taps for 2 to 3 sets of 16 to 20 total reps. Focus on clean form, steady breathing, and keeping the shoulders lifted the entire time. Rest about 60 seconds between sets.
Week 2: Increase to 20 to 30 total reps per set. Slow the movement slightly and reduce rest to 45 seconds. Aim for smoother side transitions without bouncing.
Week 3: Add a slow tempo variation. Take two to three seconds to reach each heel. Keep reps at 20 total but increase time under tension.
Week 4: Progress to feet elevated heel taps or add an extra set. If form breaks down, repeat the previous week until control improves.
Move to advanced variations once you can complete all reps without neck tension or lower back discomfort.
FAQ
How many reps should I do?
Most people start with 16 to 30 total taps, counting one right and one left as one rep.
Should my feet be close or far from my body?
Closer feet make it easier to reach the heels and reduce strain on the lower back.
Is it normal to feel this in my hip flexors?
A small amount is normal, but the main burn should be in the abs. Adjust your pelvic tilt if hip flexors dominate.
Can I do heel taps every day?
Yes, as long as volume is moderate and you recover well between sessions.
Summary
Heel taps are a simple yet challenging way to train your abs with a strong focus on the obliques. By staying slightly crunched and moving side to side with control, you build strength and endurance where it matters most.
Prioritize good setup, steady breathing, and smooth reps over speed. Adjust the range or tempo to match your current level, and progress gradually. When done with intention, heel taps can be a reliable staple in any bodyweight core routine.
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