One Arm Push Up Progression To Build Massive Chest

One arm push up progression will help you build a strong chest, triceps, and shoulders. You will also look pretty cool doing some of those moves.

It will require serious strength and balance to be able to do one arm push up.

I never had any problems with pushing skills, so going through this progression didn’t require much effort. I will still need a few more steps to master it completely. But, I’m getting near the end pretty fast.

Pulling exercises are another story for me. I still struggle to get to the most advanced parts of muscle up progression.

One Arm Push Up Progression: Muscles Worked

One arm push up progression will require you to build strong chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles to be able to do this hard move. Besides strength, it will also test your balancing skills.

With the chest and triceps, other muscles are also involved to support this difficult move.

One arm push up muscles worked:

Primary

• Chest
• Triceps
• Deltoids

Secondary

• Abs
• Obliques
• Hip flexors
• Lower back
• Gluteus

One Arm Push Up Progression: Equipment

There is a long way from just starting out to your first one arm push up.

The easiest skill in one arm push up progression is a knee plank on elbows. You will progress through standard push ups all the way up to one arm push up at the end.

When you are starting out you can easily determine what your starting point is. Once you determine which exercise you can do 3 sets for 5-8 reps this is your starting point. So, you can start from the exercise you are able to do and work yourself up the progression.

However, don’t dismiss exercises that are below your current ability level. If you do them, they will help you increase time under tension and help you build more strength and muscle. They will also help you progress faster to harder moves.

Progression instructions

Each skill in one arm push up progression builds upon the previous exercise benefits. When you are able to perform the first exercise in a progression, the strength acquired will help you move on to the next.

You will see that each exercise comes with targeting prerequisites for moving on to the next one. However, don’t feel like these prerequisites are set in stone.

Those are just guidelines. If you feel up to it, you can try skills further up in a progression. Even if you haven’t reached the goal for the current exercise you are working on, doing the harder one may help you progress even faster.

This may keep you motivated if you are stuck on one skill for a while. Even doing one rep on harder exercise can help you feel some progress.

One Arm Push Up Levels

To make it easier to follow your progress, exercises are divided into five different levels. Each level has 4 exercises to master before you are able to get to the next level.

Level 0 is reserved for plank exercises that will prepare your muscles for what follows.

Knee and incline push ups are the main focus of Level 1.

Level 2 will help you master regular push ups.

Going one step forward after standard push ups is the main focus of Level 3. This level will introduce dynamic push up variants and help you have more fun with your exercises.

Level 4 is the level where you will use one arm more and more. Until you are able to do a full one arm push up.

Here are the exercises in one arm push up progression:

Level 0

• plank on knees and elbows
• knee plank
• elbow plank
• plank

Level 1

• knee push up
• knee diamond push up
• incline push up
• incline diamond push up

Level 2

• half push up
• half diamond push up
• push up
• diamond push up

Level 3

• decline push up
• decline diamond push up
• plyo push up
• clapping push up

Level 4

• archer push up
• incline one arm push up
• half one arm push up
• one arm push up

Level 0

Level 0 is all about plank exercises. They are called isometric holds. You are holding one position without moving. Those exercises will help you prepare for harder pushing variants that follow on level 1.

So, this is one arm push up progression preparation phase.

Don’t underestimate those easier exercises. You can use those exercises as regressions when you are able to do harder variants.

Plank On Knees And Elbows

Plank on knees and elbows is the easiest exercise in one arm push up progression.

This exercise should be easy enough to perform at just about any level of strength.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform plank on knees and elbows

Positioning:

Position your body so that you are standing on your knees and your elbows (on all four). Keep your body from your butt to your head in a straight line.

Hold this position as long as you can. The mastery level for this exercise is 3 sets 60 seconds hold in each set.

If you are able to hold for 30 seconds in three sets you can progress to the next exercise in a progression.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3x30s plank on knees and elbows

Knee Plank

Knee plank is a little bit harder variant of a plank on knees and elbows. The only difference is that you will be on all four with your arms straight this time.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to do a knee plank

Positioning:

Position yourself so that you are standing on your knees and hands. You will be on all four with your arms straight. Your body should be in a straight line from your butt to your head.

Hold as long as you can. You will reach mastery when you are able to hold 3 sets for 60 seconds.

Once you can hold for 30 seconds in three sets you can try the next exercise.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3x30s knee planks

Elbow Plank

Now it’s time to do planks with straight legs. This will add another level of difficulty.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform elbow plank

Positioning:

Stand on your toes and your elbows. Make sure to be in a straight line from your feet to your head.

You should hold this position without moving. Do 3 sets with 45 seconds hold per set for mastery.

When you can do this for 20 seconds in three sets you are ready to move on to the next exercise.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3x20s elbow plank

Plank

There is just a small difference between an elbow plank and a regular plank. When performing a regular plank your arms will be straight. Everything else will remain the same.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to do the plank

Positioning:

Position yourself so that you are standing on your toes and your hands. Your arms should be straight. Keep your body straight from your feet to your head.

Keep your body rigid and hold this position. You will reach mastery once you are able to do 3 sets of 45 seconds hold in a set.

Move on to the next exercise when you can do 3 sets with 20 second hold per set.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3x20s plank

Level 1

On this level, you will work yourself up to incline push up variants.

This step will add another level of difficulty to your workouts. Incline push ups are a little bit easier than regular push ups on the floor. Regular push ups will be something to work on at the next level.

Knee Push Up

Knee push up will be the first moving exercise in this progression. Planks should have prepared your muscles for this exercise.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform knee push up

Positioning:

Position your body so that you are standing on your knees and your hands. You will be on all four with your arms straight. Keep your body from your butt to your head in a straight line.

Downward movement:

Lower yourself down by flexing your arms at your elbows. Aim to touch the ground with your chest. When you touch the ground with your chest, don’t rest on the floor. This is the lowest point of downward movement.

Upward movement:

To start moving up, straighten your arms in your elbows. Keep on moving up until your arms are completely straight and you are back in starting position.

You will reach mastery when you are able to do 3 sets with 20 reps in each set.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×10 knee push ups

Knee Diamond Push Up

Knee diamond push ups are a more difficult version of a knee push up. It will require more strength in your triceps and will be harder to do than knee push ups.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform knee diamond push up

Positioning:

Stand on all four with your knees on the floor and your arms straight. Your body should be straight from your butt to your head.

Your palms should be positioned on the floor with your fingers wide and your index fingers and your thumbs touching. This will create a diamond looking shape on the floor. This is how diamond push ups got their name.

Downward movement:

Flex your arms at your elbow to start going down. Try touching the floor with your chest. Don’t rest on the ground when you touch it.

Upward movement:

Straighten your arms in your elbows to go up. When you completely straighten your arms you will be back in the starting position.

To reach mastery do 3 sets with 20 reps in a set.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×10 knee diamond push ups

Incline Push Up

Now you are moving to incline push ups. You will do push ups with your hands positioned on an elevated surface. This will be harder than knee push ups, but a little easier than regular push ups.

Equipment:

• Box (or another elevated surface)

How to perform incline push up

Positioning:

Put your hands on a raised platform. Your arms should be straight with your palms a bit wider than your shoulder’s width. Stand on your toes on the floor and your arms on the box.

Ensure that your entire body, from your feet to your head, is in a straight line.

Downward movement:

Flex your arms at the elbows to lower yourself. The goal is to make contact with the box using your chest. Once your chest touches the box, you reached the lowest position.

Upward movement:

To begin the upward motion, extend your arms at the elbow. Continue to move upward until your arms are fully extended.

The mastery level is when you can do 3 sets of 20 repetitions in each set.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×10 incline push ups

Incline Diamond Push Up

Similarly to knee diamond push ups, incline diamond push ups are more difficult than incline push ups.

Equipment:

• Box (or some other elevated surface)

How to perform incline diamond push up

Positioning:

Place your hands on an elevated surface a little bit wider than shoulder width. Your body should be straight while standing on your toes on the ground and your hands on the box.

Your palms should be on the box with your fingers spread wide apart. The tips of your index fingers and thumbs will be touching, forming a diamond-like shape on the surface.

Keep your arms straight.

Downward movement:

Bend your arms at the elbows to lower yourself. Try to touch the box with your chest. Do not pause in this position.

Upward movement:

Extend your arms by straightening your elbows. Continue the upward movement until you have returned to the starting point.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×10 incline diamond push ups

One Arm Push Up Progression: Level 2

This level is all about regular push up variants. From half push up, to a diamond push up.

The first two exercises will help you prepare for doing regular push ups. Diamond push up will help you progress one step further than regular push up.

Half Push Up

Half push up is like doing a regular push up with a limited range of motion. This is one step closer to a regular push up.

Most people think they are doing push ups, while they are actually doing half push ups. I was no exception. When I started my fitness journey I thought I was doing perfect push ups, while I was actually doing poorly performed half push ups.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform half push up

Positioning:

Assume a plank position. Stand on your toes and your hands. Your body should be straight.

Downward movement:

Flex your arms at the elbows to start moving down. Since you are doing only half of a push up, lower yourself down until your upper arms and your forearms are forming around 90 degrees angle.

Upward movement:

To initiate upward motion, extend your elbows to straighten your arms. Continue the upward movement until both arms are fully extended and you have returned to your original starting position.

For mastery do 3 sets with 20 reps in each set.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×10 half push ups

Half Diamond Push Up

After a half push up, a diamond half push up will make it a bit more difficult.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform half diamond push up

Positioning:

Before doing half diamond push up you should position yourself in a slightly modified plank position. The difference is in the placement of your hands. They should be positioned close, forming a diamond-looking shape on the floor.

Downward movement:

Lower down by bending your arms at your elbows. Keep on lowering until your upper arms and forearms form a 90-degree angle.

Upward movement:

To get back in the starting position push yourself off the ground. Extend your elbows until your arms are straight again.

If you can do 3 sets with 15 reps or more you have reached mastery.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×10 half diamond push ups

Push Up

It’s finally time to do your first regular push up. Maybe you are able to do a regular push up right from the start.

However, check and recheck if you are doing it correctly. I’m constantly improving my performance for each exercise I do.

When I refine my movement patterns there is no surprise I can do fewer reps. I just humbly accept I was doing something wrong. I correct it and proceed with my lower rep count as a new starting point.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform push up

Positioning:

Stand on your feet and hands. Keep your body straight. Your arms should be straight and a bit wider than shoulder width.

Downward movement:

Slowly lower your body by bending your arms at your elbows. Keep on lowering down until you touch the ground with your chest.

Upward movement:

Straighten your arms to go back up. Keep on straightening your arms until you are back in the starting position.

When you are able to do 3 sets with 15 reps in each set you mastered this exercise.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×8 push ups

Diamond Push Up

After regular push ups it’s time for the diamond version. This will get a bit more difficult.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform diamond push up

Positioning:

Place your hands on the floor in front of you. Your hands should be close with your palms forming a diamond shape on the ground.

Your palms and your feet should be in contact with the ground. Keep your body straight.

Downward movement:

Bend your arms at your elbows to start going down. Lower down slowly. Your chest should touch your hands in the lowest position.

Upward movement:

Slowly extend your arms to go back up. Straighten your arms until they are completely straight.

Aim to do 15 reps in 3 sets to master this move.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×8 diamond push ups

One Arm Push Up Progression: Level 3

On this level, you are moving past regular push ups. You will be doing dynamic push up variants.

Besides increasing difficulty, this level is going to bring a fun element to your workouts. You will be able to experiment with various versions of clapping push ups.

Now it’s time to move yourself a bit away from just counting sets and reps and having fun with new cool moves.

So, this is the fun part of one arm push up progression.

Decline Push Up

A declined version of a push up is harder to do than a regular push up. So this is the next step in the progression.

Equipment:

• Box (or another elevated surface)

How to perform decline push up

Positioning:

Place your feet on an elevated surface. Position your body so that you are standing on your toes on the box and your hands on the ground.

Keep your body straight and your hands a bit wider than shoulder width.

Downward movement:

Go down by flexing your arms at your elbows. Aim to come as close to the floor with your chest as possible.

Upward movement:

To start moving up, straighten your arms at your elbows. Keep on going up until your arms are completely straight.

If you can do 15 reps in 3 sets you have mastered this exercise.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×8 decline push ups

Decline Diamond Push Up

A diamond version of a decline push up is another harder version in push up progression. After this step, you are going to do dynamic push ups. It will bring more fun to your workouts.

Equipment:

• Box (or some other elevated surface)

How to perform decline diamond push up

Positioning:

Positioning will be similar to decline push ups. The only difference is the positioning of your hands. They should be close together forming a diamond-like shape on the ground.

Downward movement:

Lower down as far as possible without slamming your head to the ground.

Upward movement:

Straighten your arms to get back to the starting position.

The mastery for this exercise is when you are able to do 3 sets with 15 reps in a set.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×8 decline diamond push ups

Plyo Push Up

Plyo push ups are the easiest dynamic push up variation. This is the first push up where you have to push your upper body hard from the floor. So hard, that your hands lift up in the air at the highest point of the movement.

This will help you prepare for even more difficult and fun push ups that follow.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform plyo push up

Positioning:

Position your hands on the ground a little bit wider than your shoulder width. Your legs are on the floor touching the ground on your feet balls and toes. Keep your entire body in a straight line by contracting your abs throughout the entire exercise.

Downward movement:

Lower down by bending your arms at your elbows. Keep on going down until your chest touches it.

Upward movement:

To start moving up, push yourself up explosively. Rapidly straighten your arms in your elbows. You have to push so hard that your hands lift from the floor at the highest point of upward movement. Land back on your hands. Repeat for reps.

Do 3 sets with 10 reps in a set to reach mastery for this exercise.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×5 plyo push ups

Clapping Push Up

This exercise is meant to be fun. When you are just starting out, aim to push yourself up hard enough to do one clap with your hands while in the air. As you progress, you will be able to increase the time in the air and more options will be available to explore.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform clapping push up

Positioning:

Positioning will be the same as in the previous exercise.

Downward movement:

Lowering down will be the same as in the previous exercise.

Upward movement:

To go back up, push yourself up explosively from the ground.

You have to push so hard that your arms are well off the ground so you have enough time in the air to be able to clap. Clap once while in the air.

Land back on your hands. Repeat for reps.

The mastery for this exercise is when you can do 3 sets with 10 reps.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×5 clapping push ups

One Arm Push Up Progression: Level 4

Up until now, you have been doing push ups on both arms. Now it’s time to move more and more to a single arm.

On this level, you will need both your strength and balance working together.

This is the final part of one arm push up progression.

Archer Push Up

From this point forward, you will need to listen to your body and take things slowly and with control. Take special care of nuances to avoid injury.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform archer push up

Positioning:

Position your hands on the ground much wider than your shoulder width.

One of your arms will have to bend while you are moving down and be at around shoulder width. At the same time, your other arm will have to go straight to your side.

You should position your arms’ width to accommodate this requirement.

Your legs are on the floor touching the ground on your feet balls and toes. Keep your entire body in a straight line by contracting your abs throughout the entire exercise.

Downward movement:

Lower yourself down by flexing one of your arms at the elbow. Target to touch the floor with your chest. Your other arm will go straight to your side (you will rotate this arm’s palm straight away from you).

When you touch the floor with your chest (or get to the floor as close as possible) this is the lowest point of downward movement.

Upward movement:

To start moving up, push yourself up from the floor by straightening your flexed arm in your elbow.

You will also start rotating the palm of your other arm (so it faces forward when you are in the upper position). Slowly get your body up. Keep on pushing until your arms are straight. This is the highest point of upward movement.

Strive to reach 5-8 reps in 3 sets.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×4 archer push ups

Incline One Arm Push Up

An incline one arm push up will be very similar to a full one arm push up. The only difference is that you will do it with your working arm on an elevated surface. This will make it a little bit easier to do than a regular one arm push up.

Equipment:

• Box (or another elevated surface)

How to perform incline one arm push up

Positioning:

Place one of your hands on an elevated surface. The other arm should be right next to your body, or at your lower back. Position your body so that you are standing on your toes on the ground and one of your hands on the box.

The arm on the box is your working arm and it should be straight. Keep your body straight.

Downward movement:

Bend your working arm at the elbow to start moving down. Aim to touch the box with your chest. When you touch the box with your chest, don’t rest in this position.

Upward movement:

Straighten your working arm in your elbow to move up. Keep on moving up until your working arm is straight and you are back where you started.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×3 one arm incline push up

Half One Arm Push Up

Half one arm push up will be the same as a regular one arm push up with a limited range of motion.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform half one arm push up

Positioning:

Place one of your hands on the floor. This arm is your working arm. Place your other arm next to your body, or at your lower back.

Keep your body straight, your feet, and your working hand on the ground.

Downward movement:

Lower down by flexing your working arm at your elbow. Keep on going down until your working upper arm forms around a 90 degree angle to a forearm.

Upward movement:

To start moving up, straighten your working arm. Extend your working arm until you are back where you started.

Prerequisite for next exercise:

• 3×3 half one arm push up

One Arm Push Up

This is the hardest exercise in one arm push up progression. It’s also one of the cool impressive skills you can master.

Equipment:

• Exercise mat (optional)

How to perform one arm push up

Positioning:

Place your working hand on the floor. Your other arm should be at your side, or at your lower back. Position your body so that you are standing on your toes and one of your hands on the ground.

Downward movement:

Lower down by flexing your working arm at your elbow. Keep on going down until your chest touches the ground. This is the lowest point.

Upward movement:

Extend your arm to start going up. Keep on extending your working arm until it’s completely straight.

This exercise concludes the one arm push up progression.