Exercise guide
Push-Up Pull
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Waist
This compound movement integrates a standard push-up with a unilateral bodyweight row, effectively targeting the chest and triceps while demanding significant core stability and lat engagement.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Start in a high plank position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Set your feet wider than hip-width to create a stable base and prevent hip rotation.
- Engage your core, glutes, and quadriceps to create a straight line from head to heels.
How to do it
- Inhale as you lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your torso.
- Exhale as you press back up to the starting position with explosive control.
- Once at the top, shift your weight slightly to one side and pull the opposite hand toward your hip in a rowing motion.
- Lower the hand back to the floor and repeat the push-up before pulling with the other arm.
Form checklist
- Keep hips parallel to the floor during the pull; do not let them rotate.
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid letting the lower back sag.
- Ensure the elbow of the rowing arm travels close to the ribcage.
- Keep the neck neutral by looking at a point about 6 inches in front of your hands.
Pro tips
- Focus on driving the supporting hand into the floor during the pull to increase stability and serratus anterior activation.
- Squeeze the lat and retract the shoulder blade at the peak of the pulling motion to maximize back engagement without using momentum.
Make it harder
- Increase the time under tension by performing a 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase on the push-up.
- Narrow the foot stance to further challenge core stability and anti-rotation.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the push-up pull work?
- The push-up pull primarily targets the pectorals, serratus anterior, and triceps, and also works the abs, deltoids, obliques, and rhomboids as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the push-up pull?
- The push-up pull requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the push-up pull good for beginners?
- The push-up pull is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- Aztec Push UpIntermediate · pectorals, serratus anterior, and triceps
- Barbell Bench Press With 1 BoardIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps
- Barbell Pullover-To-PressIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps
- Baseball HitAdvanced · biceps, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, lats, obliques, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps