Legs · Bodyweight
Side Step Swipes
How to do the side step swipes, 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
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand tall and take a wide step to one side, bending the lead knee while sweeping both arms down and across toward that foot. Push off and return to center, then repeat to the other side in a steady rhythm. Use it to warm up the hips, legs, and shoulders.
- 1Feel your hips and thighs loading as you step out and reach down
- 2Keep the motion fluid and rhythmic side to side
- 3Stay light on your feet and let your arms swing freely
Common mistakes
- Don't let your lead knee collapse inward on the step
- Avoid rounding your back as you reach toward the floor
- Don't rush so much that you lose control of the landing
Muscles worked
The side step swipes mainly works the glutes, with the quads, adductors, obliques, hamstrings, calves, and front delts assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- QuadsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the side step swipes 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.