Shoulders · Bodyweight
Standing Top to Forward Punches
How to do the standing top to forward punches, 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
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Punch one arm straight up overhead, then bring it down and punch the same arm forward at chest height, alternating sides. Keep your core braced and drive each punch from the shoulder for a continuous upper-body conditioning effort.
- 1Your shoulders and chest driving each punch
- 2Your core staying tight to keep the torso steady
- 3A quick, controlled rhythm through both arms
Common mistakes
- Locking out your elbows hard at the end of each punch
- Letting your lower back arch as you punch overhead
- Twisting wildly instead of controlling the rotation
Muscles worked
The standing top to forward punches mainly works the front delts, with the triceps, upper chest, mid chest, upper traps, upper abs, lower abs, obliques, and side delts assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the standing top to forward punches 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.