Push-Up Variations

Modified Push-Up

• Bench Push-Up
• Knee Push-Up

Push-Up Variations

• Regular Push-Up
• Banded Push-Up
• Staggered Arm Push-Up
• Single-Leg Push-Ups
• Diamond Push-Ups
• Elevated on Chair
• Elevated on Stability Ball
• Clap Push-Up
• Atomic TRX Push-Up

Modified Push-Up Variations

Bench Push-Up

Knees Push- Up

Push-Up Variations

Regular Push-Up

Steps to do a proper push-up:

1. Get on the floor on all fours, positioning your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Extend your legs back so that you are balanced on your hands and toes. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back.
3. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
4. Exhale as you begin contracting your chest muscles and pushing back up through your hands to the start position.
   *To make the push-up harder, bring your feet closer together

Banded Push-Ups

The banded push-up is slightly harder than a regular push-up because it fires up the shoulder blades, giving your shoulders a more difficult workout.

Steps:

1. Get into a tabletop position and put a resistance band around your hands.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
3. Extend your legs back so you are positioned on your hands and toes. The further apart your feet are, the more balanced you will be.
4. Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle while keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
5. Exhale as you push back up through your hands and return to starting position.

Staggered Arm Push-Ups

The single-leg push-up increases activation of the core, lower back and hamstrings because you have to stabilize your entire body to stay in a straight line as one leg is lifted. It also puts more pressure on your shoulders.

Steps:

1. Get into a tabletop position.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
3. Extend your legs back so you are positioned on your hands and toes.
4. Lift one leg off the ground so it is parallel with the floor.
5. Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle while keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
6. Exhale as you push back up through your hands and return to starting position.
7. Alternate lifted leg each push-up or can do a set of push-ups with one leg lifted, then switch to the other leg.

Single- Leg Push-Ups

The single leg push-up increases activation of the core, lower back and hamstrings because you have to stabilize your entire body to stay in a straight line as one leg is lifted. It also puts more pressure on your shoulders.

Steps:

1. .Get into tabletop position.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
3. Extend your legs back so you are positioned on your hands and toes.
4. Lift one leg off the ground so it is parallel with the floor.
5. Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle while keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
6. Exhale as you push back up through your hands and return to starting position.
7. Alternate lifted leg each push-up or can do a set of push-ups with one leg lifted, then switch to the other leg.

Diamond Push-Ups

The diamond push-up targets the triceps and chest muscles more since your hands are positioned closer together.

Steps:

1. Get into a tabletop position.
2. Position your hands close together with the index finger and the thumb of one hand touching the index finger and thumb of the other hand making a diamond shape.
3. Extend your legs back so you are positioned on your hands and toes.
4. Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle while keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
5. Exhale as you push back up through your hands and return to starting position

Decline Push-Ups

This type of push-up can be done on a chair, box or any elevated surface! It helps build a stronger chest because you are focusing on a different range of motion when your legs are elevated which works your muscles in a new way.

Steps:

1. Get into a tabletop position.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
3. Extend your legs back one at a time onto the chair so you are positioned on your hands and your toes are on the chair (or your elevated surface.)
4. Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle while keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
5. Exhale as you push back up through your hands and return to starting position.

Stability Ball Push-Ups

This push-up is a level up from the elevated push-up on a chair since your surface is unsteady. You have to use more abdominal strength to help balance as you lower yourself down to 90 degrees and push back up.

Steps:

1. Get into a tabletop position.
2. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
3. Extend your legs back one at a time onto the stability ball so you are positioned on your hands and your toes are on the ball.
4. Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle while keeping your body in a straight line from head to toe.
5. Exhale as you push back up through your hands and return to starting position.

Renegade Row Push- Ups

Level up your push-ups by adding in renegade rows! This variation targets your entire upper body and core. The row portion of the exercise engages your upper back, biceps and shoulders, while your core, hips, spine and shoulders are activated to stabilize your body.

Equipment needed: Set of dumbbells

Steps:

1. Get on the floor on all fours with your dumbbells positioned slightly wider than your shoulders. Make sure the dumbbells are parallel to each other and grip one dumbbell in each hand.
2. Extend your legs back so that you are balanced on your hands and toes. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back.
3. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
4. Exhale as you begin contracting your chest muscles and pushing back up through your hands to the start position.
5. Keep your body in a strong straight plank, and push one dumbbell into the ground as you row the other dumbbell up to your chest, squeezing the shoulder blade to your spine. Keep your hips and shoulders square to the ground as you perform this movement as they will want to shift to the side.
6. Lower the weight to the ground and perform the row on the other side.
7. Continue on doing one push-up, then a renegade row on each side. To make the renegade row easier, drop to your knees until you build up the strength to perform the movement from your toes.

Clap Push-Ups

The Clap Push-up is an explosive movement that requires lots of upper body strength and power.

Steps:

1. Get on the floor on all fours with your hands positioned slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Extend your legs back so that you are balanced on your hands and toes. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back.
3. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
4. Exhale as you begin contracting your chest muscles and push upward with enough force for your hands to leave the ground.
5. While your hands are in the air, clap them below your chest.
6. Land soft on your hands with elbows bent to absorb your landing.
   **If you want to start slower take out the clap. Try to push off the ground so your hands leave the ground a few inches then land softly. Once you get comfortable with that progression, add in the clap.

Atomic TRX Push-Ups

This final push-up variation will test your entire body! It activates your abdominal muscles as you stabilize your body and perform knee tucks into your chest. It also challenges your upper body more as you perform decline push-ups.

Steps:

1. Get on the floor on all fours, positioning your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Extend your legs back into the TRX stirrups 6-12 inches off the ground. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back.
3. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
4. Exhale as you begin contracting your chest muscles and pushing back up through your hands to the start position.
5. Then bring your knees into your chest, focusing on engaging your abdominal muscles.6. Extend your legs back out to your starting position in a straight strong plank.
6. Repeat the exercise for desired reps and sets.