Core · Bodyweight
Back Bend Over Bench Stretch
How to do the back bend over bench stretch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit on the end of a bench and lower your upper back over the edge, letting your spine extend backward. Reach your arms overhead and relax into the arch, feeling the stretch across your abs and chest.
- 1Feel a stretch open across your abs and chest
- 2Let your spine extend gently over the bench edge
- 3Reach your arms overhead to deepen the line
Common mistakes
- Don't crank your neck back hard
- Avoid pushing past a gentle stretch
- Don't hold your breath; let the ribs expand
Muscles worked
The back bend over bench stretch mainly works the upper abs, with the upper chest, mid chest, and lower abs assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Lower ChestMinor
- LatsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the back bend over bench stretch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.