A one-arm push-up is a unilateral bodyweight pressing movement that primarily works the chest while demanding whole-body stability.
How to do the One Arm Push Up#
- Set up in a high plank with your feet wider than hip-width and the working hand positioned under your shoulder.
- Tuck the opposite hand behind your back or on your hip and brace your core to keep a straight line from head to heels.
- Bend the elbow of the working arm and lower your chest toward the floor in a controlled manner while keeping your hips level.
- Pause briefly near the bottom without allowing your torso to rotate.
- Press through the palm to straighten the arm and return to the starting position while maintaining a rigid torso.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Chest (Pectoralis Major), Triceps (Triceps Brachii), Front delts (Anterior Deltoid)
- Secondary: Abs (Rectus Abdominis), Obliques (External & Internal Obliques)
Common mistakes#
- Allowing the hips to sag or drop.
- Rotating the torso toward the working arm.
- Placing the working hand too far forward.
- Flaring the elbow out excessively.
