Exercise guide
Walking Knee Raise Sky Reach On Spot
- Beginner
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower arms
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Upper legs
- Waist
This dynamic movement combines a high knee raise with an overhead reach to improve balance, coordination, and core stability. It effectively activates the hip flexors and abdominals while stretching the torso and engaging the deltoids and glutes.
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 maintain a neutral spine with your gaze fixed straight ahead.
- Ensure your weight is evenly distributed across both feet before starting.
How to do it
- Lift your right knee toward your chest until the thigh is at least parallel to the floor while simultaneously reaching both arms straight up toward the sky.
- Exhale as you reach the peak of the movement, squeezing your abs and the glute of your standing leg for stability.
- Lower your leg and arms back to the starting position with control as you inhale.
- Immediately repeat the movement on the left side, alternating legs in a rhythmic, stationary marching pattern.
Form checklist
- Keep your torso upright and vertical; avoid leaning backward as the knee rises.
- Drive the knee up using your lower abdominals rather than relying on momentum.
- Fully extend your arms and reach through your fingertips to engage the deltoids and lats.
- Keep the standing leg locked and strong to maintain balance throughout the transition.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'lengthening' your entire body as you reach up to maximize the stretch through the obliques and intercostals.
- Pause for a split second at the top of each rep to challenge your unilateral stability and mind-muscle connection.
Make it harder
- Perform the movement on your tiptoes (adding a calf raise) as you reach to significantly increase the balance challenge.
- Increase the tempo to a high-knee march to add a cardiovascular element and increase the demand on your core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the walking knee raise sky reach on spot work?
- The walking knee raise sky reach on spot primarily targets the abs, deltoids, and pectorals, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the walking knee raise sky reach on spot?
- The walking knee raise sky reach on spot requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the walking knee raise sky reach on spot good for beginners?
- Yes. The walking knee raise sky reach on spot is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
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