How wide should my feet be?

Start with the feet clearly wider than the shoulders, around twice shoulder width, because the wider base makes the rotation easier to control. As you get stronger, bring them closer together; feet together is the hardest version.

Where should the free hand go?

Resting it on the lower back, as shown, keeps it out of the way and is the most common choice. Some lifters prefer to grip the thigh or hold the arm against the side, and any of these works as long as the free hand never touches the floor.

Is it normal for my body to tilt toward the working arm?

Yes, a small shift of the chest over the working hand is normal, because the body has to bring its weight over a single support. What you want to avoid is the hips and free-side shoulder twisting up toward the ceiling.

What should I be able to do before trying it?

Most coaches look for sets of 20 or more strict Push-Ups and controlled Archer Push-Ups on each side. Single-arm push-ups with the hand on a bench, and the Medicine Ball Single-Arm Push-Up, bridge the gap to the floor.

How long does it take to learn?

It depends on your starting point. Someone who can already do many strict push-ups and archer push-ups may get a first full rep within a few months of focused practice, while someone starting from few push-ups should expect it to take a year or more.

Single-Arm Push-Up

What Is the Single-Arm Push-Up?

Single-Arm Push-Up is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest and also engages the triceps, the front of the shoulder and the core muscles that stop the body from twisting. It is an advanced-level movement: one hand carries the pressing share of your body weight that two hands normally split, while the free hand rests on the lower back and the feet spread wide to give the body a stable base.

In calisthenics it is treated as a milestone of unilateral pressing strength, much as the one-arm pull-up is for pulling. It needs no equipment, it shows any strength difference between the left and right side immediately, and it trains the trunk to resist rotation, because with only one hand on the floor the body constantly wants to roll toward the free side.

The working arm's chest, front deltoid and triceps do the pressing, and the obliques and abdominals work hard to keep the hips and shoulders square to the floor. Stance width sets much of the difficulty: feet set wide make the rotation easier to control, and bringing them closer together makes the movement much harder, with feet together as the strictest version. Placing the working hand on a bench or box reduces the load and is the usual way to practice the pattern before taking it to the floor.

It suits trainees who can already do sets of 20 or more strict Push-Ups and want a harder bodyweight press without adding weight. Before the first floor attempts, most coaches have people build controlled sets of Archer Push-Ups on each side and practice the Medicine Ball Single-Arm Push-Up, along with anti-rotation core work such as Plank Shoulder Taps.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Pectoralis Major: Primary
Deltoid: High
External Oblique: High
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): High
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): High
Rectus Abdominis: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Gluteus Maximus: Low
Latissimus Dorsi: Low

Instructions

Start in a high plank on your toes with your feet set wide, roughly twice shoulder width apart.
Place your working hand flat on the floor under your chest, slightly toward the middle of your body, with the fingers pointing forward.
Lift your free hand off the floor and rest it on your lower back with the elbow bent.
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body forms a straight line from head to heels, with your hips and shoulders as level as you can keep them.
Bend the working elbow, keeping it close to your side, and lower your chest toward the floor under control.
Stop when your chest is just above the floor and your upper arm is about parallel to your torso.
Press the floor away to straighten the arm, keeping the hips from twisting or sagging.
Finish your reps, then switch arms.

Common Mistakes

Twisting open
Letting the hips and free-side shoulder rotate up toward the ceiling turns the press into a twist and moves strain onto the shoulder and lower back.
Flaring the elbow
Letting the working elbow drift out to the side instead of staying close to the ribs loads the front of the shoulder and costs pressing strength.
Sagging hips
Letting the hips drop toward the floor arches the lower back and lets the core stop resisting the load.
Narrowing the stance too soon
Bringing the feet together before you can control the rotation makes every rep a fight against twisting, so keep them wide until full reps are steady.
Cutting the range short
Stopping halfway down, or dipping the head and shoulders without lowering the chest, skips the hardest part of the movement.
Hand out of line
Placing the working hand far forward or out to the side breaks the line of wrist, elbow and shoulder and strains the wrist.

Injuries

Single-Arm Push-Up is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The working shoulder, elbow and wrist carry a much larger share of body weight than in a two-hand push-up, and the trunk has to resist sagging and twisting at the same time. A study of 12 push-up styles in ten fit university-age adults found the one-arm push-up produced the highest lower-back compression of any style tested, so people with a sensitive lower back should progress toward it gradually.

The front of the shoulder is the most common strain point, usually when the elbow flares out to the side and the shoulder rolls forward at the bottom. Keep the working hand under the chest with the wrist stacked below the elbow, keep the elbow close to the ribs, and keep the shoulder blade pulled down rather than letting it shrug toward the ear. Warm up the wrist and shoulder first, and keep the feet wide until you can control the rotation.

If you cannot lower under control to the bottom, raise the working hand on a bench or box, or go back to Archer Push-Ups and the Medicine Ball Single-Arm Push-Up. Once full reps feel solid, bring the feet closer together or slow the lowering phase rather than adding speed.

Stop if you feel sharp pain at the front of the shoulder, inside the elbow or in the wrist, or pain in the lower back. End the set when the hips start to twist or sag, since those reps shift the load onto the joints rather than the muscles.

Overview

Primary Focus: Chest
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Advanced

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How wide should my feet be?: Start with the feet clearly wider than the shoulders, around twice shoulder width, because the wider base makes the rotation easier to control. As you get stronger, bring them closer together; feet together is the hardest version.
Q: Where should the free hand go?: Resting it on the lower back, as shown, keeps it out of the way and is the most common choice. Some lifters prefer to grip the thigh or hold the arm against the side, and any of these works as long as the free hand never touches the floor.
Q: Is it normal for my body to tilt toward the working arm?: Yes, a small shift of the chest over the working hand is normal, because the body has to bring its weight over a single support. What you want to avoid is the hips and free-side shoulder twisting up toward the ceiling.
Q: What should I be able to do before trying it?: Most coaches look for sets of 20 or more strict Push-Ups and controlled Archer Push-Ups on each side. Single-arm push-ups with the hand on a bench, and the Medicine Ball Single-Arm Push-Up, bridge the gap to the floor.
Q: How long does it take to learn?: It depends on your starting point. Someone who can already do many strict push-ups and archer push-ups may get a first full rep within a few months of focused practice, while someone starting from few push-ups should expect it to take a year or more.