Archer Push up
- Synergist muscles
- Deltoid Anterior, Triceps Brachii
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Chest
- Type
- Strength
The archer push up is a body-weight strength exercise that shifts your weight onto one arm at a time while the other stays extended out to the side, building one-sided chest strength. It primarily targets the chest (pectoralis major, both the clavicular and sternal heads), with the front shoulders (anterior deltoid) and triceps assisting. It's a strong bridge between the standard push up and the one-arm push up.
How to do the Archer Push up
- 1Set up in a high plank with your hands placed wider than shoulder-width and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- 2Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your hips neither sag nor pike up.
- 3Bend your right elbow and lower your chest toward your right hand, shifting your weight onto that arm.
- 4Keep your left arm straight, sweeping it out to the side like an archer drawing a bow as you descend.
- 5Lower until your chest is near your right hand, keeping your right elbow tracking back rather than flaring wide.
- 6Press back up through your right arm to the plank position, bringing your weight back to center.
- 7Repeat on the left side, lowering toward your left hand while your right arm stays extended.
- 8Continue alternating sides for your target reps, then lower your knees to finish.
Form tips
- Keep the straight (extended) arm as long and light as possible — it's a kickstand for balance, not a second pressing arm.
- Set your hands a little wider than for a standard push up so the working arm has room to bend and the other can extend.
- Move slowly and under control on the way down; the eccentric on one arm is where most of the strength is built.
- If full reps are too hard, place your knees on the floor or do them on an incline against a bench to reduce the load.
- Keep your hips square to the floor throughout so the movement stays a chest press, not a rotation.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag or pike, which breaks the straight body line and takes tension off the chest.
- Bending the support arm too, turning it into a wide standard push up so neither side gets the one-arm overload.
- Flaring the working elbow straight out to the side, which stresses the shoulder instead of loading the chest.
- Rushing through reps and bouncing at the bottom, which loses tension and the strength benefit of the movement.
- Twisting the torso toward the working arm instead of keeping the hips square, which cheats the rep.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the archer push up work?
It primarily works the chest (pectoralis major, both the clavicular and sternal heads), with the anterior deltoids (front shoulders) and triceps acting as synergists. Because you press mostly through one arm, each side works harder than in a standard push up.
How wide should my hands be?
Set them wider than shoulder-width — wider than a standard push up. That gives the working arm room to bend deeply while the other arm extends out to the side.
Is the archer push up good for beginners?
It's an intermediate progression. If you can't do full reps yet, drop to your knees or do them on an incline against a bench or wall, then work toward full reps on the floor.
What's a good alternative to the archer push up?
The standard push up is the easier step below it, and the one-arm push up is the harder step above. The archer push up sits between them as a way to build single-arm pressing strength.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 10 reps per side, keeping form strict. Reduce the reps or use an incline if your form breaks down before you reach the target.
