Standing Alternate Side Crunch And Raise

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your spine neutral.
2. Place your fingertips lightly behind your ears with your elbows flared out wide.
3. Engage your core and shift your weight slightly onto your left leg, keeping a soft bend in the knee.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you lift your right knee out to the side while simultaneously crunching your right elbow down toward the rising knee.
2. Squeeze your obliques at the top of the movement, ensuring your torso moves laterally (sideways) and not forward.
3. Inhale as you return to the starting position with control, barely touching your toe to the floor.
4. Repeat the movement on the left side and continue alternating sides in a fluid, controlled tempo.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest open and avoid pulling your head forward with your hands.
• Focus on lateral flexion (side-bending) rather than rounding your spine forward.
• Maintain a strong, stable standing leg with the foot planted firmly.
• Ensure the knee travels directly out to the side, not toward the front of the body.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'closing the gap' between your lower ribs and your hip bone on every contraction to maximize oblique engagement.
• Pause for one second at the peak of the crunch to challenge your balance and force the glutes of the standing leg to work harder.

Make it harder

• Hold a light dumbbell in each hand to add resistance to the lateral crunch.
• Perform the movement while standing on a BOSU ball or foam pad to significantly increase the stability demand on the ankles and core.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the standing alternate side crunch and raise work?

The standing alternate side crunch and raise primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the standing alternate side crunch and raise?

The standing alternate side crunch and raise requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the standing alternate side crunch and raise good for beginners?

Yes. The standing alternate side crunch and raise is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• 3/4 Sit-UpBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Bicycle Twisting CrunchIntermediate · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Lean Back Alternate Knee RaiseBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degrees Arms PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals