Back · Isolation movement
Knee-to-Chest Stretch
An isolation exercise for the back, with the glutes working too. No equipment needed.
Working range
20–45seconds
Progression: manual
- Primary muscle
- Back
- Secondary muscles
- Glutes
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
How to perform the Knee-to-Chest Stretch
- Lie flat on your back with both legs extended along the floor.
- Draw one knee up and clasp your hands around the shin, pulling it gently toward the chest.
- Keep the opposite leg relaxed on the floor and the head down, feeling a stretch through the lower back and glute of the raised leg.
- Hold and breathe, then lower that leg and repeat with the other.
Suggested working range: 20–45 seconds. Default progression: manual.
Common mistakes
- •Lifting the head and shoulders off the floor to meet the knee instead of keeping them relaxed down.
- •Letting the resting leg bend up off the floor, which slackens the stretch on the working side.
- •Jerking the knee toward the chest rather than drawing it in slowly and holding.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Knee-to-Chest Stretch fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize back volume.
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