Push-ups and presses

Decline push-ups

Kit
Bench or chair
Works
chest · front delts
Also
triceps · abs · upper back

Decline push-ups put your feet on a bench or chair so more of your body weight lands on your hands. Tipping your torso downhill shifts the work up toward the upper chest and front of the shoulders, and it makes the plank harder to hold. Use it once flat push-ups feel steady and you want more load without any extra kit.

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Form

How to do decline push-ups

  1. 1Set your hands on the floor a little wider than your shoulders, then place both feet on a bench or sturdy chair so your body forms one straight line from heels to head.
  2. 2Squeeze your glutes and brace your middle so your hips do not sag or pike up, and look at the floor slightly ahead of your hands.
  3. 3Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your upper arms at roughly 45 degrees to your ribs. Breathe in on the way down.
  4. 4Stop when your chest is close to the floor, then press the ground away and return to the start, breathing out through the push.
  5. 5Keep the whole shape rigid as you repeat at a steady pace, and lower your feet to the floor to rest whenever the line breaks down.

Watch for

Common mistakes

  • Hips drift upward so the body folds into a pike.

    Fix: Tuck your ribs down and squeeze your glutes, and lower the foot height until you can hold a straight line.

  • Elbows flare straight out to the sides, which strains the shoulders.

    Fix: Point your elbows back at about 45 degrees so your arms and torso make an arrow shape, not a T.

  • Only the head dips while the chest stays high.

    Fix: Keep your neck neutral and think about bringing your sternum to the floor, not your nose.

Variations

Easier and harder

EasierIncline push-upsBench or chair
HarderArcher push-upsNo kit

Sessions

Put it in a workout

None of the fixed workouts uses it. Pick a workout for your kit, or start today's session on /gym.

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