Core · Bodyweight
Body Saw Plank
How to do the body saw plank, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set up in a forearm plank with elbows under your shoulders and your feet on sliders or a smooth surface. Keeping a straight line from head to heels, push your body backward so your shoulders travel behind your elbows, then pull back to the start. The sawing motion increases the anti-extension demand on your core through every rep.
- 1Your abs fighting hard to keep your hips from sagging as you slide back
- 2Shoulders and serratus working to drive the body backward and forward
- 3A straight line from head to heels through the whole range
Common mistakes
- Letting your hips drop or pike as you slide
- Holding your breath; keep breathing steadily
- Letting your head drop instead of keeping your neck neutral
Muscles worked
The body saw plank mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the obliques, front delts, lats, and glutes assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- LatsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the body saw plank 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.