Core · Bodyweight
Twist and Leg Lift
How to do the twist and leg lift, 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 tall with arms extended in front of you. Twist your torso to one side while lifting the opposite knee up and across toward your hands, then return to center and alternate sides under control.
- 1Obliques rotating the torso as the knee drives across
- 2Lower abs pulling the leg up to meet the twist
- 3Balance held through the planted foot
Common mistakes
- Twisting from the shoulders without engaging the waist
- Rushing and losing balance on the standing leg
- Letting the lifted foot barely leave the ground
Muscles worked
The twist and leg lift mainly works the obliques, lower abs, and hip flexors, with the upper abs and quads assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- GlutesMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the twist and leg lift 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.