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For bow-specific strength, push-ups do more than pull-ups

1 study · 20 archers measured

ForContextAgainst202420262024, for, n = 202024, against, n = 202024, context, n = 20
Each circle is a study: its position gives the year, its row whether it is for, against or context, its size how many participants it measured. Light circles are studies on other populations or without archers.

The comparison has been made only once, on twenty Indonesian archers aged 16 to 18 split into four groups of five by exercise and by starting arm endurance, over 18 sessions, with strength measured in kilograms by a bow-holding test on a digital instrument. The result points two ways. Overall push-ups do more (exercise effect F = 7.74), and among those who started with good endurance, according to the table, push-ups take strength from 18.0 to 24.6 kg and pull-ups from 17.0 to 19.9. Among those who started with poor endurance, however, the two exercises give the same gain (a difference of 0.4 kg, p = 0.878), and among those doing pull-ups the starting level makes no difference at all. So the same study counts once in favour and once against, and the status is contested. The paper's figures do not hold together either: the text gives different means from the table, the pairwise comparisons match neither set, and the authors' conclusion, that pull-ups suit archers with poor endurance, is not in their table. Five archers per group, no randomisation and no score: it is not enough for a rule.

Also phrased as: "push-ups or pull-ups for archery"; "press-ups versus chin-ups for archers"; "bodyweight exercises for archery strength"; "pushing or pulling exercises for archers"

In practice

In strength and conditioning there is an ongoing debate over whether archers need pushing exercises more, for the bow arm, or pulling ones such as pull-ups, for the drawing arm.

Evidence

  • 2024
    For Archers Published later

    20 Indonesian archers aged 16 to 18 chosen at the two ends of arm endurance, split into four groups of five by exercise and starting endurance (2x2 factorial, not randomised), 18 sessions at 70-80 per cent of maximum in 3-4 sets of 8-10: exercise effect F = 7.74 in favour of push-ups. Among those who started with high endurance, strength measured with the bow rises from 18.00 ± 0.78 to 24.59 ± 1.44 kg with push-ups and from 17.00 ± 0.93 to 19.87 ± 0.90 kg with pull-ups, and the authors' pairwise comparison gives a 2.2 kg difference (Tukey, p = 0.004). Strength is measured in kilograms with the Holding Bow Digitec Test, a bow-holding test on a digital instrument. A regional journal.

    Application of push-ups and pull-ups to develop strength endurance of arm muscles in archery athletes · Betrix Teofa Perkasa Wibafied Billy Yachsie, Ahmad Nasrulloh, Yudik Prasetyo, Siis Suhasto, Alexander Skaliy

  • 2024
    Against Archers Published later

    Same study, the part that goes against the claim: among those who started with poor endurance, push-ups and pull-ups end up 0.4 kg apart (p = 0.878), with strength rising from 16.00 to 17.75 and from 15.00 to 16.93 kg, so in half the sample push-ups do no better. Of the six pairs of groups only the one with push-ups and high endurance stands out (2.2-2.6 kg, p between 0.001 and 0.004). The authors' conclusion, that pull-ups suit archers with poor endurance, is not in the table. The figures do not hold together either: the text gives different means from the table (in the best group from 16.00 to 21.67 kg rather than from 18.00 to 24.59), and the pairwise differences match neither set.

    Application of push-ups and pull-ups to develop strength endurance of arm muscles in archery athletes · Betrix Teofa Perkasa Wibafied Billy Yachsie, Ahmad Nasrulloh, Yudik Prasetyo, Siis Suhasto, Alexander Skaliy

  • 2024
    Context Archers Published later

    Same study: starting arm endurance weighs more than the exercise (F = 51.20, p < 0.001), but only with push-ups. Among those doing pull-ups the two starting levels end at exactly the same strength (difference 0.0 kg, p = 1.000, five plus five archers).

    Application of push-ups and pull-ups to develop strength endurance of arm muscles in archery athletes · Betrix Teofa Perkasa Wibafied Billy Yachsie, Ahmad Nasrulloh, Yudik Prasetyo, Siis Suhasto, Alexander Skaliy

Status history

  1. 1990 Not studied No study of archers had compared push-ups with pull-ups, or a pushing exercise with a pulling one, for the strength needed with the bow.
  2. 2024 Contested A single study, twenty Indonesian archers aged 16 to 18 in four groups of five, with a result that points two ways. Overall push-ups do more than pull-ups (F = 7.74), but the advantage comes entirely from those who started with good arm endurance, where according to the table strength rises from 18.0 to 24.6 kg with push-ups and from 17.0 to 19.9 with pull-ups. Among those who started with poor endurance the two exercises end up 0.4 kg apart (p = 0.878), and the text of the paper gives different means from the table. Five archers per group and no randomisation: the study counts once in favour and once against, contested.

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Cite
APA

Campagna, M. (2026). For bow-specific strength, push-ups do more than pull-ups (Version 2). In Evidence Registry. Retrieved 16 October 2026, from https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/physical-training/push-ups-or-pull-ups-archery

BibTeX
@misc{campagna2026_piegamentivstrazioni,
  author = {Campagna, Matteo},
  title = {For bow-specific strength, push-ups do more than pull-ups},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Evidence Registry, matteocampagna.com},
  url = {https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/physical-training/push-ups-or-pull-ups-archery},
  note = {Version 2; accessed 2026-10-16}
}

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