Chest · Bodyweight
Shoulder Tap Push-up
How to do the shoulder tap 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
- Reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in a push-up position with hands under your shoulders and feet slightly wider than hips for balance. Perform a push-up, then at the top lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder while keeping your hips square, and alternate hands each rep.
- 1Chest and triceps pressing on each push-up
- 2Your core bracing hard to stop your hips from rotating
- 3A stable, square torso as you tap
Common mistakes
- Letting your hips twist or sag when you lift a hand
- Rushing the tap and losing tension
- Flaring your elbows out wide on the press
Muscles worked
The shoulder tap push-up mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, upper abs, lower abs, obliques, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the shoulder tap 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.