Depth Push-Up

The push-up is a well-known compound exercise for the upper body and core muscles. Because of the plank position, the muscles in the lower back, glutes and legs (especially the hamstrings) must work to keep the back and legs aligned. These muscles therefore mainly have a stabilising function, as they do primarily in everyday life.

The muscles in the chest (especially the pectoralis major), shoulders (especially the front) and arms (especially the triceps) play a more active role. The chest and shoulder muscles work hard to pull the upper arms forward, while the triceps engage to extend the arms.

In this variation, you use two raised platforms between which you can lower yourself. This makes the exercise's range of motion slightly larger.

Depth push-up execution

1
Place three raised platforms on the floor. One for your feet and two for your hands.
2
Assume a plank position with your arms extended. Make sure your arms and hands are approximately shoulder-width apart and at chest height. Adjust the distance between the platforms if necessary.
3
Keep your head in a neutral position by looking down and slightly forward. This is your starting position.
4
Lower yourself in a controlled manner by bending your arms, with your elbows moving backward. Lower yourself as deeply as possible.
5
Push yourself up until your arms are almost extended.

Depth push-up

Active muscles:

Pectoralis major (large chest muscle)
Anterior deltoid (front fibres of the shoulder muscle)
Triceps brachii
Serratus anterior
Coracobrachialis (coracobrachialis muscle)

Stabilising muscles:

Rotator cuff (stabilising shoulder muscles, supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres major, teres minor)
Serratus
Trapezius
Biceps brachii
Latissimus dorsi
Erector spinae
Hamstrings
Abdominal muscles
Gluteal muscles

Depth push-up technique

The deeper push-up allows for a slightly larger range of motion. This creates a greater stretch (and therefore more tension) in the chest muscles. However, the difference compared with a normal push-up is fairly small.

Depending on shoulder mobility, it can also lead to shoulder injuries more quickly.