Chest · Bodyweight
Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push
How to do the criss cross arms prayer push, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Press your palms together in front of your chest in a prayer position and push them firmly into each other. Hold the squeeze while moving the pressed hands forward and back, or crossing the wrists, keeping constant inward pressure.
- 1Feel your inner chest contract as the palms press together
- 2Keep maximum tension throughout the whole set
- 3Feel the chest, not the shoulders, doing the work
Common mistakes
- Don't ease off the inward pressure between reps
- Avoid hunching your shoulders forward
- Don't let your elbows sag toward the floor
Muscles worked
The criss cross arms prayer push mainly works the mid chest, with the upper chest, front delts, internal rotators, and forearms assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Internal RotatorsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- TricepsMinor
- Lower ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the criss cross arms prayer push for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.