Core · Bodyweight
Diagonal Punch
How to do the diagonal punch, 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
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your core braced. Punch one arm across your body on an upward diagonal, rotating through your torso and pivoting your back foot, then return and alternate sides.
- 1Your obliques and core rotating to drive the punch
- 2Power transferring from your hips up through the arm
- 3Your back foot pivoting as you turn into each punch
Common mistakes
- Punching with only your arm and no torso rotation
- Locking out the elbow hard at the end of the punch
- Letting your lower back overarch as you twist
Muscles worked
The diagonal punch mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, front delts, triceps, upper chest, and mid chest assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the diagonal punch 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.