Core · Bodyweight
Sitting Alternate Abduction Twist on a Chair
How to do the sitting alternate abduction twist on a chair, 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
- Compound
How to do it
Sit tall on a chair with hands behind your head. Open one knee out to the side while twisting your torso toward it, then return to center and alternate to the other side in a controlled rhythm.
- 1Feel your outer hip open the knee and your obliques drive the twist
- 2Rotate from your trunk while staying tall
- 3Brace your core to control each side
Common mistakes
- Don't slouch or round your back into the twist
- Don't yank on your head with your hands
- Don't rush; control the rotation both ways
Muscles worked
The sitting alternate abduction twist on a chair mainly works the obliques, with the lower abs, upper abs, glutes, and hip flexors assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the sitting alternate abduction twist on a chair 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.