Shoulders · Bodyweight
Jab Crosses
How to do the jab crosses, 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
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand in a staggered boxing stance with your lead foot forward, knees soft, and both hands up by your chin. Throw a jab by extending your lead arm straight out and rotating the fist over, then snap it back. Follow with a cross by driving your rear hand straight forward while pivoting your back foot and rotating your hips. Alternate jab and cross at a steady pace, keeping your hands up between punches.
- 1Feel the punch start from your hips and rotate through your torso
- 2Snap each arm back to your chin instead of leaving it extended
- 3Stay light on your feet with your core braced for balance
Common mistakes
- Don't drop your hands after each punch
- Avoid reaching or lunging forward off balance
- Don't lock your elbows out hard at full extension
Muscles worked
The jab crosses mainly works the front delts, with the triceps, obliques, upper chest, mid chest, upper abs, and lower abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the jab crosses 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.