Skip to content
Bicycle Crunch strength standards

What is a good Bicycle Crunch?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Bicycle Crunch is about 37 reps. Advanced starts around 74 reps. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology

How Many Bicycle Crunch Should You Be Able to Do?

Bicycle Crunch rep targets for a 180 lb man, by training level:

Beginner< 1
Novice8 reps
Intermediate37 reps
Advanced74 reps
Elite118 reps

Bicycle Crunch Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 < 1 23 67 126 195
120 < 1 20 61 115 179
130 < 1 17 56 106 165
140 < 1 15 51 98 154
150 < 1 13 47 91 143
160 < 1 11 43 85 134
170 < 1 9 40 79 126
180 < 1 8 37 74 118
190 < 1 7 34 70 112
200 < 1 6 32 66 106
210 < 1 5 29 62 100
220 < 1 4 27 59 95
230 < 1 3 25 55 90
240 < 1 2 23 53 86
250 < 1 1 22 50 82
260 < 1 < 1 20 47 79
270 < 1 < 1 19 45 75
280 < 1 < 1 17 43 72
290 < 1 < 1 16 41 69
300 < 1 < 1 15 39 66
310 < 1 < 1 14 37 63

The Bicycle Crunch standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Bicycle Crunch Standards by Age

How the Bicycle Crunch standards change with age, in reps. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 < 1 6 32 67 108
20 < 1 10 41 81 128
25 < 1 10 42 84 132
30 < 1 10 42 84 132
35 < 1 10 42 84 132
40 < 1 10 42 84 132
45 < 1 9 39 78 124
50 < 1 7 35 72 115
55 < 1 5 30 64 104
60 < 1 1 25 56 92
65 < 1 < 1 19 48 81
70 < 1 < 1 14 40 69
75 < 1 < 1 10 32 59
80 < 1 < 1 7 26 49
85 < 1 < 1 3 20 41
90 < 1 < 1 < 1 15 34

The Bicycle Crunch standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Bicycle Crunch Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male doing 37 Bicycle Crunch is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your result
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

What the Bicycle Crunch Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are working toward your first full-range reps. An easier version or a shorter range is the normal starting point.

Novice

You can do a few full-range reps in a row with control. Adding one rep to your best set every week or two is steady progress here.

Intermediate

You can do a solid set of clean reps without swinging, bouncing or cutting the range short. Two or three sessions a week with planned sets keep the number climbing.

Advanced

Long sets with strict form are routine for you. Many lifters at this level add load with harder variations to keep progressing.

Elite

Rep counts this high for your bodyweight take years of focused training. Weighted or harder variations are usually the next challenge.

How to Progress Your Bicycle Crunch

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Bicycle Crunch to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Your First Full Reps
  • Start with an easier version you can do for 8 to 12 clean reps.
  • Move to the full version once 12 clean reps feel easy.
  • End each set one or two reps before your form breaks.
Novice → Intermediate Build Rep Volume
  • Train the movement 2 to 3 times a week with several sets, not one all-out set.
  • Add one rep to one set each session, and keep the full range.
  • Test your max reps every 3 to 4 weeks, not every session.
Intermediate → Advanced Add Load or Harder Variations
  • Once you can do 12 to 15 strict reps, add weight and train in the 5 to 8 rep range.
  • Slow the lowering phase or pause at the hardest point.
  • Keep one high-rep day a week so your max set keeps growing.
Advanced → Elite Peak Your Max Set
  • Run 4 to 6 week blocks that build volume, then ease off the week before a max test.
  • Track your best set and your weighted reps: both show progress.
  • Your bodyweight changes your rep count directly, so compare tests at a similar weight.

How to Perform Bicycle Crunch

Primary Muscles Abdominals, Obliques, Hip Flexors
Equipment None
  1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your lower back pressed to the ground.
  2. Place your hands behind your head, elbows out to the sides.
  3. Lift your knees to a 90-degree angle, keeping your feet off the floor.
  4. Simultaneously bring your right elbow towards your left knee while straightening your right leg.
  5. Switch sides, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee while straightening your left leg.
  6. Continue to alternate sides in a pedaling motion, maintaining a controlled tempo.
  7. Breathe out as you crunch and twist, and breathe in as you return to the starting position.

Tips

  • Avoid pulling on your neck with your hands; support your head lightly.
  • Keep your lower back pressed to the floor to engage your core fully.
  • Move in a controlled manner; do not rush through the repetitions.
  • Focus on twisting through the core rather than just moving your elbows.

Where Do These Bicycle Crunch Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Bicycle Crunch table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Bicycle Crunch itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A good Bicycle Crunch number depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier in Bicycle Crunch after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Bicycle Crunch table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.