Single Arm Push Up
The single arm push-up is an elite calisthenics exercise that builds significant unilateral upper body strength and anti-rotational core stability. By supporting your entire bodyweight on one arm, it intensely targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders.
Given the high stability demands of this advanced movement, Iridium validates your chest and tricep recovery status to ensure you are fresh enough to execute it properly. The system tracks your strength relative to your current body weight, automatically adjusting progression targets to distinguish between weight fluctuations and true strength gains. Iridium also accounts for the significant metabolic fatigue this compound lift generates when planning the remainder of your push session volume.
Form Cues
- Spread your feet wider than shoulder-width to create a stable tripod base
- Squeeze your glutes and braced core tight to prevent hip rotation
- Keep your working elbow tucked close to your ribcage as you descend
- Place your non-working hand behind your back or tight against your thigh
- Drive through the heel of your hand to press back up explosively
- Don't let your hips twist or open up towards the ceiling
- Don't flare your elbow out to 90 degrees
- Don't sag your lower back or hike your hips up
- Don't shorten the range of motion to make the rep easier
Common Mistakes
- Excessive torso rotation
- Flaring the elbow wide
- Feet placed too narrow
- Sagging lumbar spine
Muscles Worked
This movement primarily targets the pectoralis major and triceps, requiring them to lift significantly more load per limb than a standard push-up. The anterior deltoids assist in the press, while the obliques and deep core muscles work aggressively to prevent the torso from twisting toward the ground.
Primary
Secondary
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