Chest · Bodyweight
One Arm Push-up
How to do the one arm push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Horizontal Press
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in a wide, stable push-up position with feet spread and one hand under your shoulder. Lower under control, then press back up while keeping your hips square and resisting rotation.
- 1Working-side chest and triceps, plus the obliques bracing hard to keep your torso from twisting.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips rotate, shrugging into the working shoulder, or shortening the range of motion.
Muscles worked
The one arm push-up mainly works the mid chest and triceps, with the upper chest, lower chest, upper abs, obliques, front delts, and lower abs assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- LatsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the one arm 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 April 2026.