Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Standing Archer: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The standing archer is a bodyweight exercise that targets the upper back and involves rotational movement of the torso, mimicking the motion of drawing a bowstring. It also engages the shoulders, biceps, and forearms.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Forearms , Shoulders
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the standing archer
Front view: muscles worked by the standing archer. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps, forearms and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the standing archer. Primary: traps. Secondary: biceps, forearms and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the standing archer

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Step 2: Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, parallel to the ground.
  3. Step 3: Rotate your torso to the right, keeping your arms extended and your back straight.
  4. Step 4: As you rotate, extend your right arm forward and your left arm back, mimicking the motion of drawing a bowstring.
  5. Step 5: Hold the position for a moment, then return to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat the motion, this time rotating your torso to the left and extending your left arm forward and your right arm back.
  7. Step 7: Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the standing archer 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.

Standing Archer alternatives

More exercises that train the traps as their main target:

More traps 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.