Legs · Bodyweight
Side Step Arm Crossover
How to do the side step arm crossover, 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
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Step side to side, taking a wide step out and bringing your feet together each time. As you step, swing your arms across your chest and then open them wide in time with the footwork. Keep a steady rhythm for the set duration.
- 1Glutes and outer hips working each lateral step
- 2Chest and rear shoulders opening on the arm swing
- 3Light, springy footwork side to side
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees cave inward on the step
- Hunching forward through the upper back
- Crossing the feet instead of stepping wide
Muscles worked
The side step arm crossover mainly works the glutes, with the adductors, mid chest, quads, calves, and front delts assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- AdductorsSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- QuadsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Upper ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the side step arm crossover 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 glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.