Chest · Bodyweight

Single-Arm Push Up

One arm, full bodyweight, the ultimate push-up flex.

Single-Arm Push Up exercise demonstration
ChestSecondary: Triceps, ShouldersBodyweight

How to do it

  1. Set up in a push-up with feet wide for a stable base and one hand behind your back.
  2. Place your working hand under your chest, slightly inside the shoulder.
  3. Lower your chest toward the floor, resisting the urge to twist.
  4. Press back up and lock out, then switch sides.

The one cue that matters

Spread your feet wide and fight the rotation, your hips should stay square the whole rep.

Muscles worked

Taking one hand away leaves a single pec pressing your entire bodyweight, with the triceps and shoulder finishing the rep and your whole trunk locked against the twist. The wide foot base is not a cheat, it is the platform that makes the press possible at all. It earns its place as one of the hardest bodyweight pushing feats going, building unilateral strength and full-body tension that no machine replicates.

FAQ

How do I build up to a full single-arm push up?

Work backwards from easier angles. Single-arm push ups on a high incline, then progressively lower surfaces, plus archer push ups on the floor, build the pressing strength and anti-rotation control you need.

Why do my hips twist toward the free-arm side?

Your torso is rotating to shorten the lever. Widen your feet, squeeze your glutes and core hard, and shorten the range until you can keep both hips square to the floor.

How wide should my feet be?

As wide as you need for stability, and most people need them very wide. Narrowing the stance is itself a progression once full-range reps are clean.

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