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Archer push-up

Asymmetric push-up: one arm bends while the other stays extended — a stepping stone to the one-arm push-up.

Execution

  1. Hands set noticeably wider than shoulders, fingers angled slightly out.
  2. On the descent shift to one side: one arm bends, the other stays nearly straight.
  3. The straight arm acts as support; most of the load lives on the bending arm.
  4. Press back up under control, return to centre, then shift to the other side.
  5. Count reps per side — the plan usually lists the per-arm number.

Tips

  • Tempo 3-1-1 (3 s down, 1 s hold, 1 s up) builds noticeably more strength.

The bridge between two arms and one

In the archer push-up, the hands sit noticeably wider than shoulder-width. You lower to one side so that one arm bends and takes on most of the work, while the other stays extended and only provides support. The name comes from the position — it resembles a drawn bow.

The practical value lies in being able to dial the load through the support arm: the less it helps press, the closer the exercise gets to the one-arm push-up. And unlike negatives, you train the full movement — lowering and pressing.

Execution

Hands about one and a half to two shoulder-widths apart. Lower to one side until the chest comes close to the working hand; the other arm stays mostly straight, with the palm allowed to rotate slightly or shift onto the fingertips. The body stays in one line — the hips don't rotate.

Common mistakes

  • The support arm presses along. The most common mistake — and it makes the exercise pointless. The straight arm stabilizes; it doesn't work.
  • Hips rotate open. As with all unilateral variations, this is the central issue. Shoulders and hips stay parallel to the floor.
  • Uneven volume. Do both sides the same number of times, even if one is clearly stronger.

Where it fits

The archer push-up is the most versatile step in the progression, because you can fine-tune it both through hand width and through how much the support arm contributes. Three to four sets of five to ten reps per side is a solid range. Anyone working cleanly here has already built most of the strength needed for the one-arm variation.