Core · Bodyweight
Rotation Back Swing
How to do the rotation back swing, 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
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand with feet shoulder-width and knees soft, arms relaxed at your sides. Rotate your torso to swing both arms across to one side, then reverse and swing them around to the other side, letting the trunk turn and the hips pivot slightly with the motion.
- 1Your obliques and trunk driving the swing around
- 2A loose, rhythmic rotation through the spine
- 3Hips pivoting just enough to follow the turn
Common mistakes
- Swinging only the arms while the trunk stays rigid
- Forcing the rotation past a comfortable range
- Locking the knees and jarring the lower back
Muscles worked
The rotation back swing mainly works the obliques, with the lats, lower back, upper abs, and lower abs assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- LatsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the rotation back swing 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.