Core · Bodyweight
Elbow to Knee Side Plank Crunch
How to do the elbow to knee side plank crunch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set up in a side plank on your forearm with your body in a straight line and your top arm bent, hand behind your head. Crunch your top elbow down toward your top knee as you bring them together, then extend back out to the long side-plank position. Keep your hips lifted throughout.
- 1Feel your obliques crunch the elbow and knee together
- 2Keep your hips lifted and stacked
- 3Move with control through the crunch and the extension
Common mistakes
- Don't let your hips drop toward the floor
- Avoid rotating your torso forward or back
- Don't rush; squeeze at the top of each rep
Muscles worked
The elbow to knee side plank crunch mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, glutes, side delts, and hip flexors assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the elbow to knee side plank crunch 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.