Chest · Bodyweight
Cross Body Push-up
How to do the cross body push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in a standard push-up position with hands under your shoulders. As you lower into each push-up, shift your weight toward one hand so your chest tracks toward that side, then press up and alternate the loaded side each rep.
- 1Chest, shoulders, and triceps loading harder on the side you shift toward
- 2Core tight and hips level as your weight moves across
- 3A full press through the bottom on each rep
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag or pike as you shift
- Flaring the elbows wide; keep them around 45 degrees
- Craning the head forward to reach the floor
Muscles worked
The cross body push-up mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, front delts, upper abs, lower abs, and obliques assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the cross body push-up 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.