Many people consider one-hand or one-arm push-ups the ultimate display of strength. The late actor Jack Palance famously performed them during the Academy Awards to prove his vitality. One-arm push-ups require significant upper-body strength and control. This compound body-weight exercise works multiple muscle groups at once, including your chest, arms, shoulders and core.
Primary Muscles
One-arm push-ups primarily engage your pectoralis major, triceps brachii and deltoids. Your pecs and the front, or anterior, deltoid assist with transverse flexion, which allows your upper arms to move to and from your chest. They also assist with internal shoulder rotation. Your triceps brachii, meanwhile, aid your shoulder joint and elbow extension during this challenging push-up.
Stabilizers
Other muscles play secondary roles. Your biceps brachii help with shoulder and elbow flexion. Your abs and obliques, the core muscles, provide total body support during one-arm push-ups, as does your back. Even your quadriceps get involved. In short, one-arm push-ups work muscles from head to toe.
Performance
Start with your feet greater than shoulder-distance apart. Put one hand on the ground, perhaps a bit farther from your shoulder. Turn your fingers in a little. The other arm goes behind your back and thigh. Look forward, not to the ground. Maintain a steady posture as you lower yourself. At the bottom, your shoulder should be in line with your elbow. Keep your shoulders in a line, and don't let them sag. Return to the starting position.
Modifications
You may not be ready for one-arm push-ups. You can modify the move by placing your knees on the floor. Beastskills.com recommends certain exercises that may help you build up enough strength so you can eventually perform this exercise. Plank, a yoga posture, strengthens core muscles. You could also push off a bar with one hand while standing in an inclined posture, which will acclimate you to the general movement.
Be Careful
While you may want to impress your buddies at the gym or friends at a party, only perform one-arm push-ups when you're physically able to do so. Instead of dispersing your load through two arms, this push-up puts all the stress on just one. Consult your physician or a personal trainer to make sure you're capable of one-arm push-ups, especially if you have back, shoulder or joint problems.
Member Comments