Core · Bodyweight
Sphinx Pose Opening
How to do the sphinx pose opening, 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 with your legs extended and prop yourself up onto your forearms, elbows directly under your shoulders. Press your forearms into the floor, lift your chest, and gently draw your shoulders back to open the front of your torso. Hold the position and breathe, keeping your hips and the tops of your feet grounded.
- 1Feel a gentle stretch across the front of your abdomen and chest
- 2Keep your shoulders down and pull your chest forward and up
- 3Press your hips into the floor to lengthen the lower back
Common mistakes
- Don't shrug your shoulders up toward your ears
- Avoid cranking your neck back; keep your gaze forward
- Don't let your elbows slide out wider than your shoulders
Muscles worked
The sphinx pose opening mainly works the lower abs, with the mid chest, lower back, and upper abs assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Mid ChestSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Upper ChestMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the sphinx pose opening 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.