Heel Taps Exercise
How to Do the Heel Taps Exercise With Proper Form
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, then bring both legs to a tabletop position.
Stack the knees over the hips, keep the shins roughly parallel to the floor, and rest the arms beside the body.
Breathe out gently and brace the abdominal wall without forcing the lower back into the floor.
Lower one heel toward the floor while keeping the opposite knee steady and the pelvis quiet.
Tap the heel lightly or stop just before contact if that is the lowest controlled point.
Bring the leg back to tabletop, then repeat on the other side at the same slow tempo.
Regress by keeping the other foot on the floor or lifting one leg at a time into tabletop.
Form Check & Technique
DO THIS (Technique Tips)
- Start with one foot supported if needed
- Keep the knees over the hips
- Use a slow heel-lowering phase
- Breathe continuously
- Treat range of motion as a progression variable
AVOID THIS (Common Mistakes)
- Lowering the heel beyond the range the pelvis can control
- Arching the lower back aggressively
- Letting the knees drift away from the hips
- Moving too quickly to feel the trunk stabilize
- Holding the breath through every repetition
- Using the hands to force the back into the floor
About Heel Taps
The heel taps exercise is a supine core drill performed from a tabletop position by lowering one heel toward the floor at a time. The legs move while the abdominal wall keeps the pelvis and ribs controlled. Start with a range that prevents the lower back from arching, then progress by lowering both heels or adding coordinated arm movement.
Heel Taps Exercise Muscles Worked
The abdominal wall works to keep the ribs, pelvis, and lumbar spine controlled while the legs move.
- The hip flexors position the legs, and the obliques help prevent the pelvis from rotating.
- The exercise is an anti-extension drill rather than a crunching movement.
Sets & Reps Guidance
Technique / Learning
2-3 sets of 6-10 reps per side using a supported-foot regression.
Strength Focus
3-4 sets of 6-12 controlled reps per side with a consistent tabletop position.
Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)
2-4 sets of 10-20 alternating reps per side with a slow lowering phase.
General training baseline. Need.fit automatically adjusts exact sets, reps, and working weight based on your individual fitness level, recovery, and progress over time.
Exercise Variations & Alternatives
dead bug
reverse crunch
Crunch
Variation targeting Abdominals
hollow body hold
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Heel Taps vs Dead Bug
Heel taps move one leg from tabletop toward the floor while the arms remain still. A dead bug adds coordinated arm and leg movement, creating a longer lever and a larger anti-extension challenge.
What to Do if the Lower Back Arches
Raise the legs, reduce the lowering range, keep one foot on the floor, or perform one side at a time. Do not force the heel to the floor if the pelvis cannot stay controlled.
Heel Tap Progressions
Progress from one-foot-supported taps to alternating tabletop taps, then lower both heels together or add a light arm movement. Change only one variable at a time.
Breathing and Pelvic Control
Use a relaxed exhale as the heel lowers and inhale as it returns. The goal is steady breathing with a quiet pelvis, not a maximal abdominal squeeze or breath hold.
Sources & References
- [1]
- [2]
- [3]ACSM Position Stand: Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance — PubMedView Source