Core · Bodyweight
Slight Squat Torso Twist
How to do the slight squat torso twist, 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 in a shallow quarter-squat with your knees soft and feet shoulder width. Bring your hands up in front of your chest and rotate your torso to one side, then the other, twisting through your waist while keeping your hips facing forward. Keep a steady, controlled rhythm.
- 1Obliques driving the rotation from side to side
- 2Hips staying square and quiet as your torso turns
- 3A light load through your thighs holding the shallow squat
Common mistakes
- Letting your hips and knees swing around with the twist
- Standing fully upright out of the squat
- Throwing your arms to yank the rotation with momentum
Muscles worked
The slight squat torso twist mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, lower back, quads, and glutes assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the slight squat torso twist 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.