Core · Bodyweight
Standing Rest Pose
How to do the standing rest pose, 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
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed at your sides. Soften your knees, let your shoulders drop, and breathe slowly while you reset between movements. Keep a long, neutral spine and just let your body recover.
- 1Feel your shoulders drop and your breathing slow down
- 2Let your weight settle evenly through both feet
- 3Keep a tall, relaxed spine with no tension in your neck
Common mistakes
- Don't lock your knees out hard; keep them soft
- Avoid slumping or letting your head hang forward
- Don't hold your breath; breathe slow and easy
Muscles worked
The standing rest pose mainly works the lower abs, with the lower back assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the standing rest pose 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.