Legs · Bodyweight
Overhead Knee Raise
How to do the overhead knee raise, 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
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with both arms reached straight overhead. Drive one knee up toward your chest while keeping your arms extended above you, then lower it and alternate to the other side. Keep your torso upright and your core braced as you raise each knee.
- 1Feel your lower abs pull each knee up toward your chest
- 2Keep your arms reaching tall overhead the whole time
- 3Stay balanced by bracing your core on each rep
Common mistakes
- Do not lean back as you drive the knee up
- Avoid letting your arms drop to help with momentum
- Do not round your lower back or slump your torso
Muscles worked
The overhead knee raise mainly works the hip flexors and lower abs, with the upper abs, obliques, and quads assisting.
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the overhead knee raise 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 hips & adductors exercises
- How to do the butterfly stretch
- How to do the external rotation
- How to do the cable hip adduction
- How to do the internal rotation
- How to do the cobra pose
- How to do the core scrunch
Last reviewed June 2026.