Side Lying Push-Up
- Primary muscleTriceps
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyIntermediate
- TypeCompound · Push
Lying on your side and pressing your torso up with the bottom arm isolates one triceps at a time through a short range no standard push-up reaches. Because your legs and hip stay grounded, the load is modest, making this a high-rep, single-arm triceps option that needs zero equipment.
How to do the Side Lying Push-Up
- Start by lying on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other.
- Place your bottom hand on the ground directly under your shoulder, fingers pointing forward.
- Press through your bottom hand to lift your body off the ground, keeping your legs straight and your core engaged.
- Extend your top arm straight up towards the ceiling, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Tip: Screw your hands into the floor as if turning the fingers outward to set the shoulders before each set.
Muscles worked
Primary
Triceps · Arms
The triceps finish the rep by locking the elbows, and they do more work the narrower your hands are.
Secondary
- Delts — The front delts assist the chest, especially on decline variations where the feet are elevated.
- Pectorals — The chest drives the arms together as you push, and it is loaded most in the bottom half of the rep when the elbows are bent.
- Abs — The abs hold the body rigid so the hips do not sag, which is why a push-up is also a moving plank.
Common mistakes
- Hips sagging or piked — the body should stay a straight line from head to heels; squeeze the glutes and brace the abs before each rep.
- Elbows flared to 90 degrees — flaring the arms out wide loads the shoulder joint; keep the elbows tucked to about 45 degrees from the torso.
- Cutting the bottom short — chest should come to within a fist of the floor; if that means fewer reps, do fewer reps.
- Head dropping first — the chin reaching for the floor makes it look like a rep when it is not; keep the head neutral and lead with the chest.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 6–12 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 12–20 | 60 s |
Push-ups work as a warm-up before bench press, as a finisher after chest work or as the main push exercise when training with no equipment. Superset them with inverted rows or a band pull-apart for balance.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Side Lying Push-Up work?
The Side Lying Push-Up primarily works the triceps. It also involves the delts, pectorals and abs, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Side Lying Push-Up good for beginners?
It is rated intermediate, so it suits people who already train regularly. Beginners can still do the Side Lying Push-Up with light load and a spotter or coach watching the first few sessions; if it feels awkward, pick an easier variation from the alternatives below first.
What can I do instead of the Side Lying Push-Up?
If you cannot do the Side Lying Push-Up, try the Push-Up to Side Plank, the Diamond Push-Up or the Handstand Push-Up. Each of them trains the triceps through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Side Lying Push-Up, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.
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