Chest · Bodyweight
Open Book Stretch
How to do the open book stretch, 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
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked in front of you, arms extended together at shoulder height. Keeping your knees down, sweep your top arm up and over to the other side, opening your chest and rotating through your upper back. Follow your hand with your eyes, hold the open position, then return. Repeat on the other side.
- 1Feel the rotation come from your upper back and chest, not your lower
- 2spine
- 3Let your chest open as the top arm reaches across
- 4Keep your knees pinned together so the twist stays in the upper back
Common mistakes
- Don't let your knees lift or roll as you rotate
- Avoid forcing the arm down; go to a comfortable stretch
- Don't hold your breath; exhale as you open up
Muscles worked
The open book stretch mainly works the mid chest, with the obliques, upper chest, mid traps, and upper abs assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the open book stretch 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 chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.