90 To 90 Lean

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor and position your front leg at a 90-degree angle in front of you and your back leg at a 90-degree angle to your side.
2. Ensure your front shin is parallel to your torso and your back thigh is perpendicular to your front thigh.
3. Sit as upright as possible with your chest facing your front shin and your hands resting lightly on the floor for balance.

How to do it

1. Inhale and hinge forward at the hips, leaning your chest toward your front shin while keeping your spine neutral and long.
2. Exhale and drive your front shin into the floor to return to an upright position using your glutes and core strength.
3. Slowly rotate your knees through the center to the opposite side, keeping your heels on the ground, until you reach the 90/90 position on the other side.
4. Repeat the lean on the new side, maintaining a controlled tempo of 2 seconds down and 2 seconds up.

Form checklist

• Keep your spine neutral; do not round your lower back during the lean.
• Maintain 90-degree angles at both the knees and the hips throughout the entire movement.
• Keep your feet flexed (toes toward shins) to stabilize and protect the knee joints.
• Ensure both sit-bones stay as close to the floor as possible during the transition.

Pro tips

• To maximize oblique and deep core engagement, perform the hip switch transition without letting your hands touch the ground.
• Focus on 'pushing' the floor away with your front leg to engage the gluteus medius more effectively during the ascent.

Make it harder

• Hold a light kettlebell or dumbbell at chest height in a goblet position to increase the demand on your core and spinal erectors.
• Add a 'hip lift' at the top of the movement by driving your knees into the floor and pushing your hips forward into a tall kneeling position.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the 90 to 90 lean work?

The 90 to 90 lean primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the hamstrings and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the 90 to 90 lean?

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

Is the 90 to 90 lean good for beginners?

Yes. The 90 to 90 lean is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• 3/4 Sit-UpBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Bicycle Twisting CrunchIntermediate · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Lean Back Alternate Knee RaiseBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degrees Arms PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals