Incline push-ups should be one of the first stops on your road to perfect, chest-to-floor push-ups, or perhaps even a push up challenge.
There are few exercises that are easier when practiced on an incline, so banish any thoughts of your last attempt at hill sprints while we explain why an incline could be the thing that helps you master the boss of bodyweight strength exercises: the push-up.
What are the benefits of incline push-ups?
‘They're easier than a standard push-up because more of your weight is on your legs, rather than your arms,’ says Jason Bone, head of strength at Flex Chelsea. ‘The higher you raise your arms, the more weight will transfer to your legs.’
It’s also a great way to practise a key part of good push-up form: keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels. To do this, you need to engage your core, so this move will get you into good habits. ‘Plus, it puts less strain on the shoulders than a standard push-up.'
Another bonus? They're scalable. You can make an incline push-up tougher by changing the angle – the lower the bench, the harder it will be. Challenge the triceps by bringing your hands closer together, as pictured; or, to focus on your chest, position your hands wider than your shoulders.
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What muscles do incline push-ups work?
About to close this tab in search of more taxing moves? Stop. The incline push-up targets the same muscles as a regular one, says Bone. ‘Primarily, the chest, triceps and shoulders, with help from the lats and core as stabilising muscles,’ he explains.
How to do an incline push-up
Time to get pressing.
- First, find a step, bench or other stable surface that’s higher than the floor, and plant your hands shoulder-width apart with your shoulders over your wrists. ‘Keep your body as straight as possible,’ says Bone. Draw your belly button to your spine to engage the abs, and squeeze your glutes.
- Slowly lower your chest towards your hands by bending the elbows and pointing them backwards (think of making an arrow shape).
- Once your shoulders are at elbow height, push back up. Do a few sets of this move two or three times a week and you’ll be pressing up off the ground in no time.
AVOID IF: You have wrist, shoulder or lower back issues. If that’s you, try a wall press-up, says Bone.
Signs you're doing incline push-ups wrong
You’re dropping your hips. This will make it easier to press back up, so you won’t get the most out of the move. Focus on keeping your body in a straight line throughout the exercise. Using a higher bench might help, says Bone.
You’re dropping your head. ‘Pushing your head forward as you lower down will make you think you’re getting lower than you are,’ says Bone. This means you won’t get the range of motion you could be capable of. Imagine you have an orange tucked under your chin to help you hold your head in the correct position.
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Kirsti is a health and fitness journalist, a personal trainer and tech junkie. She’s a South African journalist who followed her passion for health and fitness all the way to the UK, where she now spends her days sweating it up and perfecting her form in gyms all over London.
