Core · Bodyweight
Standing Side Crunch Elbow Drive
How to do the standing side crunch elbow drive, 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 tall with one hand behind your head and that elbow pointed out to the side. Lift the knee on the same side up and out while you crunch your torso down toward it, driving elbow to knee. Return to standing tall and repeat your reps, then switch sides.
- 1Oblique on the working side squeezing to close elbow toward knee
- 2A crunch through your waist, not just a reach of the arm
- 3Balance held steady on the standing leg
Common mistakes
- Pulling on your head and neck with your hand
- Bending forward instead of crunching to the side
- Rushing past the squeeze at the top of each rep
Muscles worked
The standing side crunch elbow drive mainly works the obliques, with the lower abs, hip flexors, and upper abs assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the standing side crunch elbow drive 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.