Shoulders · Bodyweight
Dolphin Pose
How to do the dolphin pose, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Start on your hands and knees, then lower onto your forearms with elbows under your shoulders and palms flat. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back into an inverted V, pressing your chest toward your thighs. Hold and breathe.
- 1A stretch through your shoulders and upper back
- 2Length down the backs of your legs
- 3Hips reaching up and back as the chest opens
Common mistakes
- Letting your upper back round and collapse
- Shrugging your shoulders up to your ears
- Holding your breath through the stretch
Muscles worked
The dolphin pose works the hamstrings, lats, lower back, mid traps, lower traps, calves, and front delts.
- HamstringsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the dolphin pose 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.