Core · Bodyweight
Standing Alternate Side Crunch and Raise
How to do the standing alternate side crunch and raise, 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
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hands behind your head. Lift one knee out to the side as you crunch the same-side elbow down toward it. Lower and alternate, bending sideways through your waist on each rep.
- 1Obliques shortening as elbow and knee meet
- 2The opposite side stretching as you bend
- 3Hips staying steady underneath you
Common mistakes
- Do not rotate forward; bend straight to the side
- Avoid yanking your head down with your hands
- Do not let the standing leg wobble
Muscles worked
The standing alternate side crunch and raise mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, hip flexors, and glutes assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the standing alternate side crunch and raise 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.