Back · Bodyweight
Sitting Side Reach Stretch
How to do the sitting side reach stretch, 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
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit tall on the floor or a chair with feet planted. Raise one arm overhead and lean your torso to the opposite side, reaching over until you feel a stretch along your side and back. Keep both hips grounded, hold, breathe, then switch sides.
- 1A long stretch down the side of your back and ribs
- 2Both hips staying planted as you lean over
- 3Your lats opening as the top arm reaches
Common mistakes
- Leaning forward or collapsing the chest down
- Letting the opposite hip lift off the surface
- Forcing the lean past a comfortable stretch
Muscles worked
The sitting side reach stretch mainly works the lats and obliques, with the lower back assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- ObliquesPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the sitting side reach stretch 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 June 2026.