January 26, 2025, 4:43 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Archer Push-ups are an advanced variation of the traditional push-up, where one arm is extended on the ground and the other arm is bent. The challenge is maintaining a stable and clean movement as you shift your upper body from one side to the other. Archer Push-ups primarily strengthen the chest, shoulders, and triceps and are an excellent addition to upper body training. Although they may look simple at first glance, they are quite demanding. If you haven’t mastered them yet, you can train specifically for them. FITBOOK explains what preparatory exercises look like and the benefits of Archer Push-ups.

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Origin

Archer Push-ups originate from calisthenics, where they are used as part of exercises for shoulder stability and strength. The name “Archer Push-up” translates to “archer’s push-up” and is derived from the position in which the body is aligned during the exercise. This resembles an archer, with one arm extended (holding the bow) and the other drawing the bowstring.

Proper Execution and Technique of Archer Push-ups

Here is a guide for proper execution:

1. Starting Position: Begin in the push-up position with feet together. Unlike the correctly executed traditional push-up, where the arms should be close to the body, the arms can be positioned slightly wider for the Archer Push-up. Tip: It’s best to choose a wide push-up stance and test it out.
2. Movement: From the starting position, shift your weight onto one arm, bend it, and extend the other. The hand of the extending arm rotates on the palm during the movement so that the fingertips point outward at the end. Important: Lower your upper body until it touches the ground. Keep your gaze fixed on the extended arm throughout the exercise.
3. Weight Shift/Arm Switch: From the archer position, push off and shift your weight to the other arm. Your gaze shifts in the other direction toward the extending arm, and the hand rotates out.

It’s important to keep the core stable throughout the entire movement. Tip: Keep your abs tight! – and maintain a straight line from head to feet. The focus of the Archer Push-up is on controlled movement, not speed.

Muscles Targeted by Archer Push-ups

• Primary Muscles Targeted/Main Muscles in Archer Push-ups:
  • anterior part of the shoulder muscle (m. deltoideus – pars clavicularis)
  • triceps (m. triceps brachii)
• Other Muscle Groups Involved in Archer Push-ups:
  • chest muscles (m. pectoralis major)
  • core (especially m. rectus abdominis and m. obliquus externus abdominis)

Benefits of the Exercise

• Improves strength in shoulders and triceps
• Strengthens the upper body overall
• Enhances stability and coordination

Common Mistakes in Archer Push-ups

• No straight line from head to feet: It’s important that the entire body forms a straight line to avoid injuries and maximize the effectiveness of the exercise.
• No full extension of the arm: It’s crucial that the arm is fully extended to effectively engage the shoulder and triceps.
• Insufficient core stability: A poorly stabilized core can lead to improper form and spinal injuries.
• Too large an angle between bent arm and body: The angle in the bent arm should not exceed 60 degrees to focus the training on the triceps and shoulders and relieve the shoulder joint.
• Inappropriate hand position: Due to the high unilateral load on the wrist in the bent arm, ensure that the fingertips point forward.
• Arms too close in the starting position: It’s necessary for the arms to be wider to allow enough range of motion for weight shifting.

Also interesting: Bench press or push-ups – which is more effective for muscle strength?

Preparatory Exercises for Archer Push-ups

There are preparatory exercises for the Archer Push-up to strengthen and mobilize the upper body muscles. Here are some recommended exercises:

1. Classic Push-up: The classic push-up is excellent for strengthening the triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles.
2. Wide-Grip Push-up: This specifically strengthens the muscles that are also used in the Archer Push-up.
3. Diamond Push-up: The close-grip push-up, where the index fingers and thumbs touch to form a diamond, helps build strength in the triceps and forearms.
4. Shoulder Circles: This exercise helps mobilize and loosen the shoulders. Stand upright and circle the shoulders clockwise and counterclockwise.
5. Plank: The forearm plank is excellent for improving body control and stability. It’s best to hold the plank position for a few seconds and work on increasing the time until you can hold it for at least 60 seconds.

Archer Push-up Variations

For Beginners

• Wall Archer Push-ups: Before starting Archer Push-ups, it can be helpful to practice the movement against a wall. The low intensity allows for multiple repetitions per side. This also helps internalize the movement.
• Kneeling Archer Push-ups: This preparatory exercise reduces intensity by keeping the knees on the ground during the movement.
• Side to Side Push-ups: This exercise is more similar to the traditional push-up. When the arms are bent, shift your body weight to one side in the lowest position before pushing up with both arms. In the next repetition, emphasize the other side. Difference from the Archer Push-up: Feet are shoulder-width apart, and the gaze remains on the ground throughout the movement.
• Incline Archer Push-ups: In this variation, elevate the starting position using parallettes (mini-bars), a step, or a step bench.

For Advanced

• Loaded Archer Push-up: For this variation, you need additional weight in the form of a weight vest or a backpack with weights. Alternatively, you can carefully place weight plates on your back.
• Archer Push-ups with Elevated Legs: By placing your legs on a bench or step, the archer push-up becomes even more challenging.
• One-Arm Push-up: Technically, this is no longer an Archer Push-up, but the necessary strength in one arm (and also in the core) is increased with the one-arm push-up.

More on the topic

Strength Training Sphinx Push-up: The Bodyweight Exercise for Stronger Triceps

With Bodyweight and Weights 7 Exercises for Defined Shoulders

Workout with Archer Push-ups

Upper body circuit with three rounds; the rest after each round is 2 minutes.

• Archer Push-ups: 4 to 8 repetitions
• Pull-ups: 4 to 8 repetitions
• Bench Press: 10 to 12 repetitions
• Cable Row: 10 to 12 repetitions

Conclusion on Archer Push-ups

Archer Push-ups are an effective exercise for strengthening shoulders and triceps and an excellent addition to any upper body workout. It’s important to practice the correct technique to avoid injuries and maximize the exercise’s effect. It’s advisable to experiment with different variations to adjust the difficulty and bring variety to the training plan.