Core · Bodyweight
Kneeling Backwards Reach
How to do the kneeling backwards reach, 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
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Kneel tall with your hips stacked over your knees. Reach both arms up and back, leaning the chest open and following your hands with your gaze to extend through the front of the body. Return to upright under control and repeat for the set duration.
- 1A stretch across the chest and front of the hips
- 2Spine extending as you reach back
- 3Glutes squeezed to protect the lower back
Common mistakes
- Crunching the lower back instead of opening the hips
- Letting the hips drift behind the knees
- Reaching back further than feels controlled
Muscles worked
The kneeling backwards reach mainly works the upper abs, with the lower back, hip flexors, upper chest, mid chest, lower abs, quads, glutes, and front delts assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
Kovo programs the kneeling backwards reach 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.