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Single-Leg Push-Up

A push-up that lifts one straight leg slightly on each descent, alternating legs.

Conditioning Drill 1, exercise 5 of 5

Demonstration

Official photo sequences from the Army's drill manual, read left to right, top to bottom.

Single-Leg Push-Up: official ATP 7-22.02 photo sequence (figure 5-5, CD1.5 Single-Leg Push-up) showing the positions of the exercise in order.
Figure 5-5. CD1.5 Single-Leg Push-up · ATP 7-22.02, p. 5-5 (opens the official PDF)

Photos: U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, ATP 7-22.02. Approved for public release.

How to perform it

Conditioning Drill 1, exercise 5 of 5

Moderate cadence (80 counts per minute)

Starting position

Front Leaning Rest, hands directly under the shoulders with fingers spread, feet together, body straight from head to heels.

Front Leaning Rest: From the Squat, shift weight to the hands and thrust both feet back, landing with feet together. The body forms a straight line from heels to head without the hips dipping. ATP 7-22.02, para. 2-3, p. 2-2 (opens the official PDF)

Counts

  1. 1Count 1. Lower the body until the upper arms are parallel to the ground while raising the straight left leg until the toe is level with or just above the right heel.
  2. 2Count 2. Reverse the movement to the starting position.
  3. 3Count 3. Repeat count 1 with the right leg.
  4. 4Count 4. Return to the starting position.

ATP 7-22.02, para. 5-7, p. 5-4 – 5-5, Figure 5-5 (opens the official PDF)

What it develops

Strengthens the chest and hips and increases the challenge to shoulder stability; prepares for more vigorous pushing.

Focus: Chest, Hips, Shoulder stability

Form

Drawn from the cited instructions.

Cues

  • Keep the raised knee straight.
  • Raise the toe only to about the height of the other heel.

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a high leg raise or hyperextending the hip.