Shoulders · Bodyweight
Switching Downward Punch
How to do the switching downward punch, 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
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Punch one fist down and across toward the floor while rotating your trunk, then switch and punch down with the other arm. Keep alternating at a brisk pace, twisting through the core with each punch.
- 1Your shoulders and arms driving each downward punch
- 2Your obliques rotating the trunk side to side
- 3A braced core and steady, athletic stance
Common mistakes
- Punching with only the arms and no trunk rotation
- Rounding or collapsing the chest as you reach down
- Locking out the elbows hard at the bottom of the punch
Muscles worked
The switching downward punch mainly works the front delts and obliques, with the triceps, upper abs, lower abs, and side delts assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- ObliquesPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the switching downward punch 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.