Core · Bodyweight
Twisting Knee-up
How to do the twisting knee-up, 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 your hands up near your head. Drive one knee up while twisting your torso so the opposite elbow rotates toward that knee, then lower and alternate sides in a steady rhythm.
- 1Obliques crunching as your elbow rotates toward the opposite knee
- 2Hip flexors and lower core lifting each knee
- 3A balanced stance on the standing leg through the twist
Common mistakes
- Just bending forward instead of rotating through your torso
- Rounding your back hard to force elbow to knee contact
- Losing your balance by rushing the rhythm
Muscles worked
The twisting knee-up mainly works the obliques and lower abs, with the upper abs, hip flexors, and quads assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- GlutesMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the twisting knee-up 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.