Core · Bodyweight
Incline Shoulder Tap
How to do the incline shoulder tap, 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
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in a plank with your hands elevated on a bench or sturdy raised surface and your body in a straight line on the balls of your feet. Keeping your hips square and steady, lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder, then return it and repeat on the other side. Alternate taps for reps while resisting any rotation.
- 1Core and obliques bracing to keep your hips from rotating
- 2Chest and front delts supporting your weight on the elevated surface
- 3A stable square plank as each hand lifts to tap
Common mistakes
- Letting your hips twist or sway as you lift a hand
- Sagging your lower back out of the straight line
- Rushing the taps instead of controlling each one
Muscles worked
The incline shoulder tap mainly works the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques, with the front delts, triceps, mid chest, glutes, and side delts assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesPrimary
- Front DeltsSupport
- TricepsSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper ChestMinor
- Lower ChestMinor
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the incline shoulder tap 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.