Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Archer Push Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The archer push up is a challenging bodyweight exercise that targets the pectorals and also works the triceps, shoulders, and core. It involves performing a push-up while extending one arm out to the side, increasing the load on the working arm and requiring significant strength, balance, and coordination.

Primary muscles
Chest
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the archer push up
Front view: muscles worked by the archer push up. Primary: chest. Secondary: obliques, abs, triceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the archer push up. Primary: chest. Secondary: obliques, abs, triceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the archer push up

  1. Step 1: Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Extend one arm straight out to the side, parallel to the ground.
  3. Step 3: Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
  4. Step 4: Push back up to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat on the other side, extending the opposite arm out to the side.
  6. Step 6: Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the archer push up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Archer Push Up alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.