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Heel Tap

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Youtube Channel: Leap Fitness

Exercise Overview

What is Heel Tap:

The Heel Tap is a lateral spinal flexion exercise, primarily working the obliques. During this exercise, you lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and alternate tapping your heels, contracting your obliques.

Key Benefits:

  • Size and Strength: Works primarily the obliques, promoting muscle growth and strength improvement.
  • Functional Strength: Improves lateral spinal flexion strength, spinal rotation strength, core stability, and overall fitness, improving performance in daily activities and sports.
  • Functional Strength: Improves lateral spinal flexion strength, spinal rotation strength, core stability, and overall fitness, improving performance in daily activities and sports.
  • Convenience: This exercise can be performed virtually anywhere without equipment, making it accessible and convenient for most individuals.

Variations:

  • Russian Twist: A core exercise that targets the obliques through controlled twisting motions of the torso.
  • Side Plank Raise: A plank variation that works the obliques primarily through spinal lateral flexions.
  • Floor Windshield Wiper: A core exercise performed by lying on your back and moving the lower body sideways, like a windshield wiper.
  • Dumbbell Side Bends: An oblique exercise performed while standing utilizing free weights, such as dumbbells, to load the obliques in lateral spinal flexions..

Exercise Classification

Primary Muscles (red)

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Obliques

Secondary Muscles (blue)

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Rectus Abdominis, Serratus Anterior

Other Muscles

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Core Muscles, Scapular Muscles

Exercise Type

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Strength

Mechanics

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Isolation

Muscular System Showing the Targetted Muscles of the Exercise

Note: This may not be 100% accurate, but it's good enough as a reference.

Execution Technique & Tips

How to perform Heel Taps:

  • Starting Position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your shoulders off the floor with your arms extended on your sides.
  • Execution: Contract your obliques by twisting your body sideways, reaching for your heels or further. Hold this position briefly, then return to the starting position and do the other side.
  • Repetition: Repeat and alternate each side for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Inhale: Inhale at the starting position.
  • Exhale: Exhale at the end positions.

Exercise Tips/Pointers:

  • Movement Purpose: The purpose of the exercise is to challenge and contract the obliques, not necessarily the heel taps themselves, which is just a way to simplify the movement. That said, focus on contracting the obliques rather than tapping your heels.
  • Scapular Engagement: Maintain scapular depression and a bit of protraction throughout the exercise for optimal performance.

General Tips:

  • Keep your head neutral throughout the movement to promote proper spinal alignment and muscle engagement, and move only when necessary.

  • Include pauses in specific areas or positions to improve your conditioning, gain strength in those parts of the movement, address weaknesses, and enhance your overall performance.

  • Focus on maintaining proper form throughout to ensure optimal muscle engagement and and reduce the risk of injury.

  • Perform each repetition with controlled and deliberate movements to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise.

  • Keep your core muscles engaged throughout the entire movement, especially during the concentric phase, to enhance stability and efficiency.

  • Pay attention to your breath, syncing it with the movement. This not only enhances performance but also promotes a mindful and focused workout experience.

  • Aim for a consistent range of motion with each repetition. If the intensity becomes too high and you can no longer modify it in other ways, it's acceptable to reduce the range of motion. Begin at a comfortable level and gradually increase the range up to the standard active ROM for the target muscle or full ROM for mobility purposes as you build strength.

  • Focus on performing each repetition with proper form rather than rushing through the exercise. Quality repetitions yield better results and reduce the risk of injury.

  • Pay attention to any discomfort or strain during the exercise. Adjust your form or intensity accordingly, or stop the exercise if needed.

Additional Information:

Ways to make it easier:

  • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
  • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

Ways to make it harder:

  • Playing with the Tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
  • Contracting the obliques as much as possible or reaching further past the heels.
  • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise

Note:

It's important to keep in mind that muscle activation can vary based on different factors such as form, execution, and individual anatomy. Additionally, certain exercises may engage multiple muscle groups, and the listed target muscles may not be the only muscles involved in the movement. For instance, the antagonists muscles would often act as stabilizer to support joints and prevent excessive movement that might cause an injury.

Injury Prevention:

Before doing any exercises, be sure to warm up first. This helps to prepare your body prior to the exercise and helps lessen the risk of injury.

This is just one the many ways to reduce the risk of injury. Be sure to implement other techniques for a pain-free and enjoyable fitness journey.

Disclaimer:

While we strive for accuracy, there may be details that are subject to change in the future. If you come across any inaccuracies or have feedback/suggestions, please inform us. Your input is valuable, and we appreciate your assistance in maintaining the accuracy of our content.