When it comes to bodyweight exercises, pushups deliver serious bang for your buck. They build strength and endurance across multiple upper-body muscle groups, including the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core. But once you’ve mastered the standard pushup, progressing to unilateral variations like the one-arm pushup introduces a whole new challenge, testing your balance, coordination, and control in ways that traditional movements can’t.
Like pistol squats, one-arm pushups are one of the ultimate gym flexes due to their difficulty. But if you’re wondering how to master them, simply cranking out regular pushups won’t build the strength you need to make the transition. Building the necessary control and stability requires specific progressions, according to Aaron Horschig, DPT, of Squat University.
Below, he shares three powerful exercises that will fast-track your progress toward crushing your first one-arm pushup.
1. Shoulder Taps
How to Do It
- One of the first steps is mastering full-body stiffness.
- Shoulder taps are ideal for this.
- Begin with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart in a high plank position.
- Lift one hand to tap the opposite shoulder while keeping your body square and stable.
- Aim for 20 total taps.
- You’ll know you’ve mastered it once your torso stops twisting with each tap.
2. Bench-Assisted One-Arm Pushup
Getty Images/ undrey
How to Do It
- Start in a high plank with one hand on a bench.
- Brace your core in a way that engages your abs laterally.
- Push your chest out and pull yourself toward the bench as if performing a single-arm row, keeping your elbow close to your body.
- Low-rep sets are key here. Aim for 1 to 5 reps per arm, focusing on control over fatigue. Avoid pushing to failure. Instead, perform these frequently during the week to help you develop the strength needed to progress.
Pro Tip
Once you can control your body and get your chest to the bench consistently, lower the height gradually to increase difficulty. Over time, this progression builds the strength and stability required to eventually perform a full one-arm pushup on the floor.
Related: Daily ‘Exercise Snacks’ Might Be All You Need to Boost VO2 Max, Study Finds
