Exercise guide
Stepback Floor Tap Diagonal Reach
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Shoulders
- Waist
This dynamic total-body movement integrates a reverse lunge with a rotational reach to enhance core stability, hip mobility, and multi-planar coordination. It effectively engages the lower body for power while using the upper body reach to stretch the lats and activate the obliques and deltoids.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms relaxed at your sides.
- Engage your core and find a focal point at eye level to maintain balance.
- Ensure you have adequate space behind you for a full step-back.
How to do it
- Inhale as you step your right foot back into a lunge, hinging at the hips to tap the floor inside your left foot with your right hand.
- Exhale and drive through your front heel to return to a standing position.
- As you stand, sweep your right arm across your body and reach diagonally upward toward the ceiling on your left side.
- Complete the movement with control, then repeat the sequence by stepping back with the left leg.
Form checklist
- Keep your front knee tracked over your toes, avoiding any inward collapse.
- Maintain a long, neutral spine during the floor tap rather than rounding your lower back.
- Rotate from the mid-back (thoracic spine) rather than just moving the arm.
- Keep your weight centered in the front heel to maximize glute and quad engagement.
Pro tips
- Think about 'opening the book' with your torso as you reach upward to maximize lat and pectoral stretching.
- Squeeze the glute of the stepping leg at the top of the reach to stabilize the pelvis and increase the hip flexor stretch.
Make it harder
- Add a small hop as you transition from the floor tap to the diagonal reach to increase power and heart rate.
- Hold a light weight in the reaching hand to increase the demand on the deltoids and obliques.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the stepback floor tap diagonal reach work?
- The stepback floor tap diagonal reach primarily targets the glutes and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior and trapezius as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the stepback floor tap diagonal reach?
- The stepback floor tap diagonal reach requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the stepback floor tap diagonal reach good for beginners?
- The stepback floor tap diagonal reach is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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