Legs · Bodyweight
Sphinx Heel Drop
How to do the sphinx heel drop, 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
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie face down propped on your forearms in a sphinx position with elbows under your shoulders. Tuck your toes and gently press your heels back and down toward the floor, feeling the stretch through the calves and back of the legs while keeping the chest lifted.
- 1A stretch through your calves and ankles as the heels drop
- 2A gentle backbend supported through your forearms
- 3Your chest staying open and lifted
Common mistakes
- Sinking your shoulders up around your ears
- Forcing the heels down through sharp pain
- Letting your lower back compress
Muscles worked
The sphinx heel drop mainly works the calves.
- CalvesPrimary
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the sphinx heel drop 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 calves & shins exercises
- How to do the ankle cars
- How to do the ankle circles
- How to do the ankle rocks
- How to do the resistance band ankle mobilization
- How to do the calf press
- How to do the calf raises with hold
Last reviewed June 2026.