90 To 90 Press Stretch

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor with your legs in a 90/90 position: front thigh pointing straight ahead and back thigh pointing to the side, with both knees bent at 90-degree angles.
2. Sit as tall as possible with a neutral spine, centering your weight between your sit bones.
3. Bring your hands to your chest in a 'ready' position, elbows tucked.

How to do it

1. Drive your knees and shins into the floor to lift your hips into a tall kneeling position while exhaling forcefully.
2. Simultaneously rotate your torso toward the front leg and extend your arms forward in a pressing motion to engage the obliques.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your hips back to the floor with total control, resisting gravity.
4. Pivot on your heels to switch the orientation of your legs to the opposite side and repeat the movement.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest upright and avoid leaning the torso forward excessively during the lift.
• Fully extend the hip of the trailing leg by squeezing the glute at the top of the movement.
• Ensure both knees maintain a strict 90-degree bend throughout the transition.
• Keep your shoulders depressed and away from your ears during the rotational press.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'tearing the floor apart' with your knees to create maximum tension and stability in the hip capsule.
• Imagine pushing a heavy object away during the press phase to maximize the cross-body tension between your hip and opposite shoulder.

Make it harder

• Hold a light kettlebell or medicine ball in a goblet position to increase the demand on the core and glutes.
• Slow down the lowering (eccentric) phase to a 4-second count to increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the 90 to 90 press stretch work?

The 90 to 90 press stretch primarily targets the abs, glutes, and obliques, and also works the hip flexors and quadriceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the 90 to 90 press stretch?

The 90 to 90 press stretch requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the 90 to 90 press stretch good for beginners?

The 90 to 90 press stretch is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• 90 To 90Beginner · abs, glutes, obliques, and quadriceps
• 90 To 90 SwitchIntermediate · abs, glutes, obliques, and quadriceps
• Ardha Matsyendrasana Yoga PoseIntermediate · abs, glutes, obliques, and trapezius
• Back Leg Lift JackBeginner · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and obliques