Cross Body Push-up
Master the cross-body push-up to build powerful chest, shoulder, and triceps strength while significantly engaging your core for rotational stability and
Description
A total body exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, arms, and core. The cross body movement enhances the core activation.
Save Cross Body Push-up to a routine
Log sets, reps, and weight as you train — free in the Ellim app.
How to Do Cross Body Push-up
- 1Setup
Begin in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward, and your body forming a straight line from head to heels. Ensure your core is braced and active.
- 2
As you lower your chest towards the floor, simultaneously drive your right knee across your body towards your left elbow, keeping your hips stable. Inhale as you descend.
- 3
Explosively push through your hands to return to the high plank position, extending your right leg back to meet your left. Exhale as you push up.
- 4
Immediately repeat the movement on the opposite side, bringing your left knee towards your right elbow as you lower. Continue alternating sides with each repetition.
Tips
- Maintain Core Stability: Focus on keeping your hips level and core engaged throughout the entire movement to prevent sagging or rotating excessively, which protects your lower back.
- Controlled Descent: Control the eccentric (lowering) phase of the push-up, ensuring your chest gets close to the floor before pushing back up. This maximizes muscle activation.
- Breathing Pattern: Inhale as you lower down, and exhale forcefully as you push back up. This helps maintain core tension and provides power.
- Hand Placement: Experiment with hand placement slightly wider or narrower than shoulder-width to find what feels most comfortable and effective for your shoulders and wrists.
Common Mistakes
- ×Sagging Hips: Allowing your hips to drop towards the floor indicates a weak core; fix this by actively engaging your glutes and abs to maintain a straight body line.
- ×Partial Range of Motion: Not lowering your chest close enough to the floor reduces effectiveness; ensure your chest nearly touches the ground on each repetition to maximize muscle engagement.
- ×Rushing the Movement: Performing the exercise too quickly compromises form and muscle activation; focus on a controlled descent and an explosive, yet deliberate, push-up.
In the Ellim app, Cross Body Push-up unlocks
Free — no subscription needed
Log sets, reps, and weight
Track every set as you train
See your strength curve
Performance graphs across all sessions
Add to a routine
Save into a custom workout in one tap
Rest timer with Live Activity
Dynamic Island countdown between sets
HealthKit sync
Workouts flow to Apple Health
3,500+ exercise library
Search, filter, and pick variations offline
Ready to train cross body push-up?
Get Ellim — FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Is Cross Body Push-up good for beginners?
What equipment do I need for Cross Body Push-up?
What are the best tips for Cross Body Push-up?
What are common mistakes when doing Cross Body Push-up?
Related Exercises
Kick Through Push-up
Perform a dynamic full-body exercise combining a powerful push-up with a rotational kick-through.
Push-up to Knee Tap
Perform a dynamic push-up, then tap your opposite knee with one hand. This plyometric exercise builds upper body strength, core stability, and improves
Push-up Pike Toe Touch
Combine strength and flexibility with the Push-up Pike Toe Touch. Perform a push-up, then pike your hips up and reach for the opposite toe, enhancing core
Plate Push
Boost explosive power and endurance with the Plate Push. This high-intensity, full-body exercise involves pushing a weight plate across the floor for a
Stepback Pulldown
Boost cardio endurance and dynamic strength with the Stepback Pulldown. This plyometric bodyweight exercise targets your core, back, and shoulders through
Alternating Step Out
Improve agility and lower body endurance with the Alternating Step Out. This dynamic bodyweight exercise targets your glutes and quads, enhancing lateral
Track every rep of Cross Body Push-up.
Watch your weight climb session by session. See your strength curve. Add it to a routine you'll actually run.
Get Ellim — Free