Back · Bodyweight
Prone Cobra
How to do the prone cobra, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Mobility
How to do it
Lie face down on the floor with your legs extended and arms by your sides, palms down. Engage your glutes and the muscles of your upper back to lift your chest and arms off the ground while rotating your thumbs to point up. Keep your gaze down to maintain a neutral neck. Hold the raised position for the desired time, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower back down under control.
- 1Lift your chest and arms off the ground to engage your lower traps and posterior chain
- 2Squeeze your shoulder blades down and together
- 3Engage your glutes to support your lower back
Common mistakes
- Don't jerk your head up, keep your neck neutral
- Avoid arching your lower back excessively
- Don't shrug your shoulders up toward your ears
Muscles worked
The prone cobra works the lower back, upper traps, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, and rear delts.
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
Kovo programs the prone cobra 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 back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed April 2026.