Core · Bodyweight
Basic Toe Touch
How to do the basic toe touch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with your legs extended straight up toward the ceiling. Reach your hands up toward your toes, lifting your shoulder blades off the floor, then lower back down under control.
- 1Feel your upper abs crunch as you reach toward your toes
- 2Lift your shoulder blades off the floor as you exhale
- 3Keep your legs straight and still while your torso does the work
Common mistakes
- Don't bounce or swing to reach higher
- Avoid pulling on your neck or leading with your head
- Don't let your legs drift or swing back and forth
Muscles worked
The basic toe touch mainly works the upper abs, with the lower abs and obliques assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the basic toe touch 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.