Back · Bodyweight
One Arm Against Wall
How to do the one arm against wall, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
Back
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Timed hold
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Mobility
How to do it
Stand beside a wall or doorway and place one bent arm against it at about shoulder height. Gently lean your torso away while keeping your ribs down until you feel a stretch through your lat, underarm, and side body. Hold, then switch sides.
- 1Feel the stretch run from your underarm down the side of your torso into your lat
- 2Keep the shoulder of the stretching arm relaxed rather than shrugged toward your ear
- 3Lean only enough to create length through the side body without forcing the shoulder
Common mistakes
- Do not twist aggressively or turn the movement into a full torso rotation
- Avoid jamming the shoulder into the wall or pushing into a pinching sensation
- Do not flare your ribs or arch your lower back to fake more range
Muscles worked
The one arm against wall mainly works the lats.
- LatsPrimary
- Mid TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the one arm against wall 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 back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed April 2026.