10 Best Side-to-side Toe Touch Alternatives for Limited Mobility

Ranked Side-to-side Toe Touch Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Side-to-side Toe Touch on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Groin Crunch

   87% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the abs.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
2. Play demonstration

   2. 3/4 Sit-up

   86% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
3. Play demonstration

   3. Oblique Crunch

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want to work the abs one side at a time.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
   3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, rotating your torso to one side.
   4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat on the other side.
   6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
4. 

   4. Oblique Crunches

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want an easier single-arm version that still works the abs.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put one hand beside your head and the other to the side against the floor.
   2. Make sure your feet are elevated and resting on a flat surface.
   3. Now lift the shoulder in which your hand is touching your head.
   4. Simply elevate your shoulder and body upward until you touch your knee. For example, if you have your right hand besides your head, then you want to elevate your body upwards until your right elbow touches your left knee. The same variation can be applied doing the inverse and using your left elbow to touch your right knee.
   5. After your knee touches your elbow, lower your body until you have reached the starting position.
   6. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (upward) part of the exercise.
   7. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
5. 

   5. Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want an easier version that works the abs one side at a time.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start out by lying on your right side with your legs lying on top of each other. Make sure your knees are bent a little bit.
   2. Place your left hand behind your head.
   3. Once you are in this set position, begin by moving your left elbow up as you would perform a normal crunch except this time the main emphasis is on your obliques.
   4. Crunch as high as you can, hold the contraction for a second and then slowly drop back down into the starting position.
   5. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (elevation) part of the exercise.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
6. Play demonstration

   6. Oblique Crunches Floor

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
   2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
   3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor, rotating your torso to one side.
   4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the floor.
   5. Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each repetition.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
7. Play demonstration

   7. Seated Side Crunch (Wall)

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Sit on the floor with your back against a wall and your legs extended in front of you.
   2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
   3. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   4. Engage your abs and lean to one side, bringing your elbow towards your hip.
   5. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
   6. Repeat on the other side.
   7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: seated, not standing
8. 

   8. Plate Twist

   83% match

   • Abs
   • Other
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie down on the floor or an exercise mat with your legs fully extended and your upper body upright. Grab the plate by its sides with both hands out in front of your abdominals with your arms slightly bent.
   2. Slowly cross your legs near your ankles and lift them up off the ground. Your knees should also be bent slightly. Note: Move your upper body back slightly to help keep you balanced turning this exercise. This is the starting position.
   3. Move the plate to the left side and touch the floor with it. Breathe out as you perform that movement.
   4. Come back to the starting position as you breathe in and then repeat the movement but this time to the right side of the body. Tip: Use a slow controlled movement at all times. Jerking motions can injure the back.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Side-to-side Toe Touch
9. Play demonstration

   9. Knee Touch Crunch

   83% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, lift your shoulder blades off the ground and reach your right hand towards your left knee.
   4. Return to the starting position and repeat, this time reaching your left hand towards your right knee.
   5. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
   • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
10. Play demonstration

    10. Band Standing Twisting Crunch

    83% match

    • Abs
    • Band
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band around your upper back, crossing it in front of your chest.
    2. Hold the ends of the band with your hands, keeping your elbows bent and close to your sides.
    3. Engage your abs and twist your torso to one side, bringing your elbow towards the opposite knee.
    4. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
    • Equipment: a band, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Side-to-side Toe Touch
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Side-to-side Toe Touch