Exercise guide
High Knee Star Tap
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
- Waist
The High Knee Star Tap is a standing core exercise that develops abdominal strength, oblique definition, and hip flexor mobility while challenging your balance.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
- Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height, forming a 'star' shape with your body.
- Fix your gaze forward and distribute your weight evenly across both feet.
How to do it
- Lift your right knee toward your chest while simultaneously rotating your torso to bring your left hand down to tap the rising knee.
- Exhale sharply as you crunch the hand and knee together, focusing on the contraction in your obliques.
- Inhale as you return to the starting star position with control, maintaining a tall posture.
- Repeat the movement on the opposite side, alternating legs for the duration of the set.
Form checklist
- Drive the knee up toward the chest rather than just leaning the torso down.
- Keep the standing leg slightly bent to maintain balance and protect the joint.
- Maintain a proud chest and avoid excessive rounding of the upper back.
- Perform the movement with a controlled tempo to ensure the core is doing the work, not momentum.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'cross-body' connection; imagine your ribcage moving toward the opposite hip bone for maximum oblique engagement.
- Pause for a split second at the peak of the contraction to emphasize stability and muscle mind connection.
Make it harder
- Straighten your leg and reach for your toes instead of your knee to increase the range of motion and hamstring demand.
- Increase the tempo or add a small hop during the transition to turn the exercise into a high-intensity cardio movement.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the high knee star tap work?
- The high knee star tap primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the high knee star tap?
- The high knee star tap requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the high knee star tap good for beginners?
- Yes. The high knee star tap is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.