Primary
Chest
Secondary
Triceps, Shoulders, Core
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Push
See how Typewriter Push-Up could fit a workout
The example below shows one possible placement. Your purchased plan is built from your assessment, and Ely checks every exercise before approving it.
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This page is not medical advice or a rehabilitation protocol. Ely's personal review applies to purchased workout plans and does not replace an in-person assessment by a licensed healthcare professional.
Typewriter push-ups stay in the bottom position while you slide laterally from arm to arm. Your body carves left to right like a typewriter carriage, keeping constant tension on your chest and arms. One of the hardest push-up variations that exists.
When to use it
Use for advanced chest training and progression.
Who it's for
Advanced calisthenics practitioners. Those mastering bodyweight pushing progressions. Anyone who finds archer push-ups too easy.
Stay low throughout—if you rise up during the slide, you are cheating. The lateral movement under load is what makes this exercise brutal. Wide hand position gives you more room to work.
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Start in a wide push-up position.
Lower down and shift your body to one side.
Your weight should be mostly on one arm.
Slide across to the other side while staying low.
Push up from the other side to complete one rep.
Continue alternating sides with control.
Keep your body close to the ground during the slide.
Wider hand placement makes it easier.
Engage your core to prevent sagging.
Move slowly and with full control.
Use typewriter push-ups only after mastering archer push-ups. Place them as your primary push-up challenge when other variations no longer test you. Low reps with quality form trump high reps with sloppy slides.
Rising up during the sideways movement.
During any pressing movement like the Typewriter Push-Up, this mistake reduces how effectively your Chest (pectoralis major) can produce force. Focus on the muscle you're trying to work — if you can't feel your Chest (pectoralis major) driving the movement, something is off.
Not keeping the body in a straight line.
During any pressing movement like the Typewriter Push-Up, this mistake reduces how effectively your Chest (pectoralis major) can produce force. Focus on the muscle you're trying to work — if you can't feel your Chest (pectoralis major) driving the movement, something is off.
Moving too fast and losing form.
Rushing through the Typewriter Push-Up makes it easier to lose position and harder to keep tension on your Chest (pectoralis major). Slow down enough to control both the lifting and lowering portions of each rep.
Not shifting weight fully to each side.
Cutting the range of motion short on the Typewriter Push-Up can reduce the training stimulus for your Chest (pectoralis major). Use the largest comfortable range you can control without changing the intended setup.
Advanced calisthenics practitioners. Those mastering bodyweight pushing progressions. Anyone who finds archer push-ups too easy.
These ranges illustrate ways to organize training. They are not an individual prescription. Adjust them for the exercise, your experience, and the rest of your program.
Heavier loads can be useful for developing maximum strength. The range shown is an example, and the load must match your current technique and capacity.
Muscle growth can occur across different loads and repetition ranges. This example is not a uniquely effective zone; your overall program and effort also matter.
This is an example of a longer set. A repetition target alone does not establish joint safety or whether the exercise is appropriate for you.
Example: 3 sets of 5-8 reps per side. Rest 90-120s.
Background for resistance exercises: the 2026 ACSM position stand covers healthy adults, and a load-comparison review found similar muscle growth across loads in studies using sets taken to muscular failure. These findings do not validate every exercise-specific range shown here or require training to failure.
This is one example of how Typewriter Push-Up could sit inside a complete workout. Your plan may use different movements after Ely checks your assessment.
Sample workout
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Typewriter Push-Up
The Typewriter Push-Up primarily targets the Chest (pectoralis major), making it an effective exercise for chest development. Secondary muscles worked during the Typewriter Push-Up include Triceps, Shoulders, Core, providing additional training stimulus. Stabilizer muscles engaged include Obliques, Forearms.
Our library labels Typewriter Push-Up as advanced. That category is not an individual assessment. Review the setup, movement instructions, and safety notes, and seek qualified guidance if you are unsure how to perform it.
The programming section shows examples for Typewriter Push-Up. The appropriate amount depends on your current ability, the exercise, and your other training. The listed ranges are not an individual prescription or a guarantee of a particular outcome.
The main equipment listed for Typewriter Push-Up is no equipment. Check the instructions for any additional support, anchor, bench, rack, or clear space needed. The equipment label alone does not confirm that your home setup is suitable.
Good alternatives to the Typewriter Push-Up include: Archer Push-Up, Wide Push-Up. These exercises target similar muscle groups as the Typewriter Push-Up and can be used as substitutes based on your equipment availability, gym setup, or training preferences.