10 Best Knee Across The Body Alternatives for Glute Isolation

The Knee Across The Body is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Band Lying Hip Internal Rotation, the Exercise Ball One Leg Prone Lower Body Rotation and the Band Seated Hip Internal Rotation. Three harder versions, the Bent Knee Lying Twist, Hip Circles (Prone) and the Incline Twisting Sit-up, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Knee Across The Body

Knee Across The Body
Primary muscle
Glutes
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Abductors, Lower Back

How to perform Knee Across The Body
  1. Lie down on the floor with your right leg straight. Bend your left leg and lower it across your body, holding the knee down toward the floor with your right hand. (The knee doesn't need to touch the floor if you're tight.)
  2. Place your left arm comfortably beside you and turn your head to the left. Imagine you have a weight tied to your tailbone. let your tailbone fall back toward the floor as your chest reaches in the opposite direction to stretch your lower back. Switch sides.
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Ranked Knee Across The Body Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Knee Across The Body on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Best match
    Band Lying Hip Internal RotationPlay demonstration

    1. Band Lying Hip Internal Rotation

    85% match
    • Glutes
    • Band
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    A good swap when you have a band to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your back with your legs straight and a resistance band looped around your feet.
    2. Bend your knees and bring them towards your chest, keeping your feet together.
    3. Slowly rotate your knees outwards, away from each other, while keeping your feet together.
    4. Pause for a moment at the end of the rotation, then slowly return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: a band, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Across The Body
  2. Bent Knee Lying TwistPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Bent Knee Lying Twist

    88% match
    • Glutes
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Extend your arms out to the sides, perpendicular to your body.
    3. Keeping your knees together, slowly lower them to one side, aiming to touch the ground with your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment, then engage your core and slowly lift your knees back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat the movement to the other side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Across The Body
  3. Exercise Ball One Leg Prone Lower Body RotationPlay demonstration

    3. Exercise Ball One Leg Prone Lower Body Rotation

    78% match
    • Glutes
    • Stability-ball
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have a stability ball to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie face down on the stability ball with your hips resting on the ball and your legs extended straight behind you.
    2. Place your hands on the ground in front of you for support.
    3. Engage your glutes and core muscles to stabilize your body.
    4. Slowly lift one leg off the ground, keeping it straight and parallel to the floor.
    5. Rotate your leg outward, away from your body, while keeping your hips and upper body stable.
    6. Pause for a moment at the end of the rotation, then slowly return your leg to the starting position.
    7. Repeat the rotation with the other leg.
    8. Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
  4. Band Seated Hip Internal RotationPlay demonstration

    4. Band Seated Hip Internal Rotation

    77% match
    • Glutes
    • Band
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a chair or bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
    3. Keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet shoulder-width apart.
    4. Engage your glutes and slowly rotate your knees outward, pushing against the resistance of the band.
    5. Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: a band, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
  5. Hip Circles (Prone)

    Progression

    5. Hip Circles (Prone)

    76% match
    • Abductors
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the abductors rather than the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Position yourself on your hands and knees on the ground. Maintaining good posture, raise one bent knee off of the ground. This will be your starting position.
    2. Keeping the knee in a bent position, rotate the femur in an arc, attempting to make a big circle with your knee.
    3. Perform this slowly for a number of repetitions, and repeat on the other side.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abductors, not glutes
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying face down, not lying on your back
  6. Incline Twisting Sit-upPlay demonstration

    Progression

    6. Incline Twisting Sit-up

    71% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the abs rather than the glutes.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
    3. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    4. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward.
    5. As you curl up, twist your torso to one side, bringing your elbow towards the opposite knee.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat the movement, this time twisting your torso to the other side.
    8. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, not glutes
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Across The Body
  7. Assisted Lying Gluteus And Piriformis StretchPlay demonstration

    7. Assisted Lying Gluteus And Piriformis Stretch

    70% match
    • Glutes
    • Other
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    It still works the glutes, through a different movement.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your back with your legs extended.
    2. Bend your right knee and place your right ankle on your left thigh, just above the knee.
    3. Grasp your left thigh with both hands and gently pull it towards your chest.
    4. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
    5. Release the stretch and repeat on the other side.

    Sets and reps: Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat 2 or 3 times.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Across The Body
  8. Standing Hip Circles

    8. Standing Hip Circles

    69% match
    • Abductors
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Begin standing on one leg, holding to a vertical support.
    2. Raise the unsupported knee to 90 degrees. This will be your starting position.
    3. Open the hip as far as possible, attempting to make a big circle with your knee.
    4. Perform this movement slowly for a number of repetitions, and repeat on the other side.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abductors, not glutes
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  9. Roller Hip Lat StretchPlay demonstration

    9. Roller Hip Lat Stretch

    65% match
    • Glutes
    • Foam-roll
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by kneeling on the ground with the roller positioned under your hips.
    2. Place your hands on the roller for support.
    3. Slowly roll the roller forward, extending your hips and stretching your glutes.
    4. Hold the stretch for a few seconds, then roll back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat 2 or 3 times.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Across The Body
  10. Roller Hip StretchPlay demonstration

    10. Roller Hip Stretch

    65% match
    • Glutes
    • Foam-roll
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by sitting on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Place the roller under your glutes, just above your knees.
    3. Lean back and place your hands on the ground behind you for support.
    4. Engage your glutes and slowly roll the roller forward, bending your knees and bringing them towards your chest.
    5. Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, feeling a stretch in your glutes.
    6. Slowly roll the roller back to the starting position, extending your legs.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat 2 or 3 times.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Across The Body
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Across The Body

Knee Across The Body FAQ

What muscles does Knee Across The Body work?

Knee Across The Body primarily targets the glute muscles, both the gluteus medius for lateral stability and the gluteus maximus for extension. It also requires core bracing and eccentric control from the hip adductors to guide the cross-body motion.

Can I build muscle without doing Knee Across The Body?

Yes. Use progressive overload via unilateral variations, higher reps, slower tempo, or added bands to increase time under tension and stimulus for the glutes. Cue: increase resistance or add a 2-second isometric squeeze at peak contraction to enhance muscle recruitment.

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