Incline Push-Up

The push-up is a well-known compound exercise for the upper body and core muscles. Due to 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 stabilizing function, as they do in everyday life.

The muscles in the chest (especially the pectoralis major), shoulders (especially the anterior deltoids), 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.

Incline Push-Up execution

1
Place your hands shoulder-width apart or wider (depending on your goal) on an elevated surface.
2
Assume a plank position with straight arms by placing your feet back with your legs straight.
3
Make sure you have enough grip on the floor so that you do not slide backward when you push off.
4
Keep your head in a neutral position by looking down and slightly in front of you. This is your starting position.
5
Lower yourself in a controlled manner by bending your arms, keeping your elbows moving backward. Lower until your elbows are beside or slightly past your torso.
6
Push yourself up explosively until your arms are almost straight.

Incline Push-Up

Active muscles:

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

Stabilizing muscles:

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

Incline Push-Up technique

In practice, the incline position is often performed as a lighter variation of the standard push-up. The greater angle of the body relative to the ground provides less resistance from gravity.

The appropriate height depends on the training goal and the corresponding number of repetitions. Start relatively high, for example with your hands on an object at hip height. Choose a lower point if the desired number of repetitions is achieved easily.