# Side to Side Push-Up

A push-up in which each rep shifts your chest toward one hand, then the other on the next rep. Both arms bend, but the side you lean toward takes more of the load, working the chest, triceps, and front delts.

- Intermediate · Compound
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/side-to-side-push-up/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/side-to-side-push-up/

## Muscles worked

- Mid chest: 9/10
- Triceps: 8/10
- Front delts: 6/10
- Serratus anterior: 4/10

## How to do the Side to Side Push-Up

1. Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders on the floor.
2. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
3. Lower your chest toward your right hand, then push back to center.
4. On the next rep, lower toward your left hand and keep alternating.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Set up in a high plank with hands slightly wider than shoulder width and feet together or apart.
2. Tighten your stomach, squeeze your glutes, and keep your neck neutral with eyes slightly ahead.
3. Bend both elbows and lower your body as one unit, shifting your chest toward your right hand.
4. Keep elbows angled back rather than flared straight out as you reach the bottom position.
5. Press through your palms until your elbows are fully extended and your body is centered again.
6. Lower on the next rep with your chest shifting toward your left hand, then press back up.
7. Keep alternating sides without letting your hips sag or twist.

## Common mistakes

- Hips sagging below the shoulders
- Twisting the hips toward the working side
- Straightening the arm on the far side
- Stopping short of full depth
- Elbows flaring straight out

## Form cues

- Body moves as one
- Press through the palms
- Keep elbows angled back
- Keep hips level
- Return to center each rep

## How much to do

- **Strength** (good fit): 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps · rest 2 min · 1–2 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Weight plates**: [Weighted Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/weighted-push-up/), [Deficit Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/deficit-push-up/)
- **Medicine ball**: [Lying Medicine Ball Chest Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-medicine-ball-chest-press/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Floor Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-floor-press/), [Band Assisted Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-assisted-push-up/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Crossover Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-offset-push-up/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Close Grip Knee Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/close-grip-knee-push-up/) — 53% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/push-up/) — 64% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Side to Side Push-Up — 72% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Suspension Trainer Push-Up with Rotation](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-push-up-with-rotation/) — 78% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Single Arm Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-push-up/) — 110% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Side to Side Push-Up work?

Primary: Mid chest 9/10, Triceps 8/10. Also works: Front delts 6/10, Serratus anterior 4/10.

### When should I do the Side to Side Push-Up in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 7 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Side to Side Push-Up?

Strength: 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps, rest 2 min, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Side to Side Push-Up?

Weight plates: Weighted Push-Up, Deficit Push-Up. Medicine ball: Lying Medicine Ball Chest Press. Resistance bands: Resistance Band Floor Press, Band Assisted Push-Up. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Crossover Push-Up.

### What is an easier version of the Side to Side Push-Up?

Push-Up (64% of bodyweight), Close Grip Knee Push-Up (53% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Side to Side Push-Up?

Suspension Trainer Push-Up with Rotation (78% of bodyweight), Single Arm Push-Up (110% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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