17 Push-Up Variations To Build Muscle In Your Chest, Shoulders, And Triceps

How to do it:

1. Start in the high plank position (also known as the push-up position). You’ll want your arms extended and palms on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
2. Engage your core and glutes. Then, bend at your elbows to slowly move toward the floor.
3. Keeping your elbows tucked in, lower yourself until your chest is as close to the floor as possible without collapsing. 
4. Hold before pushing your hands into the floor to return to your original position.
5. Continue for the desired number of reps.

Why do it: Knee push-ups are a great way for beginners—or those finding regular push-ups difficult—to learn the push-up form. These are a great halfway point that gets you on the floor without doing the full movement.

How to do it:

1. Get into a modified plank position. Your palms should be on the floor, shoulder-width apart, but instead of having your toes on the ground, start on your knees.
2. Tucking your elbows in, lower yourself toward the ground.
3. Once you can’t lower yourself further, pause before straightening your arms to push back up.
4. Continue for reps.

Why do it: Also known as diamond push-ups, this variation hits the same muscle groups as traditional push-ups but with a slight difference. A 2005 study by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research³ found that the narrower the hand position during the push-up, the greater the muscle activation in the pectoralis major and triceps brachii. 

How to do it:

1. Get into the push-up position with your hands narrower than shoulder-width apart, or with your thumbs and index fingers touching.
2. Brace your glutes and core, then lower yourself toward the floor by bending your elbows. 
3. When your chest touches the floor, reverse the motion to get into the starting position. 
4. Repeat for repetitions.

Why do it: A 2016 study by the Journal of Physical Therapy Science⁴ found that although wide-grip push-ups hit the chest muscles and triceps to a lesser extent than regular and close-grip push-ups, they activate the serratus anterior to a greater extent. Regularly doing serratus anterior exercises can help to prevent scapular dyskinesis and rotator cuff injuries.

How to do it:

1. Once you’re in the high plank position, adjust your hands so they’re wider than they would be with a regular push-up (the wider the hands, the more difficult the movement).
2. Tuck your elbows in, then bend them to move toward the ground with control. Ensure your core is activated and your head is neutral.
3. When you can’t lower yourself any further, pause before pushing back up to the original position.
4. Keep going for reps.

Why do it: Beginners (or those finding standard push-ups difficult) can try incline push-ups instead. It’s a fantastic exercise for those who can’t get onto the floor and back up easily. It’s worth noting that the closer the equipment is to the ground, the harder the exercise will be.

How to do it:

1. Grab a stable surface like a flat bench, plyometric box, or chair. 
2. Place your hands on the surface, shoulder-width apart.
3. Walk your feet out until you’re in the push-up position. From here, activate your core and glutes.
4. Lower your chest toward the surface by bending your elbows. Hold for a moment, then slowly reverse the motion until your arms are extended.
5. Repeat the movement for reps.

RELATED: Best Weight Bench

Why do it: It’s opposite day. Starting with your feet on an elevated surface increases the range of motion with this bodyweight exercise, making it more challenging than regular push-ups. The higher your feet, the more difficult the movement becomes. If you’re going to perform decline push-ups, be sure to maintain proper form throughout.

How to do it:

1. Place both feet on a flat bench, plyometric box, or any sturdy object.
2. Walk your hands out until you’re in the high plank position. You’ll want your hands to be shoulder-width apart, ensuring a straight line between your shoulders and feet.
3. Bend at your elbows until your chest is as close to the floor as possible. Pause before returning to the starting position.
4. Continue for the desired number of reps.

Why do it: For some folks, regular push-ups can cause neck, back, palmar, or wrist pain, as found in certain studies⁵. By doing wall push-ups, you can build strength while potentially reducing pain. They’re an excellent push-up variation if you find it difficult to get onto the ground to do traditional push-ups.

How to do it:

1. Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart. You should be positioned roughly one arm’s length away from it.
2. Keeping your feet where they are, place your hands on the wall. Your fingers should be facing up toward the ceiling.
3. Brace your core before bending at your elbows to move closer to the wall.
4. Hold, then push through your hands to return to your original position.
5. Keep going for reps.

Why do it: Reverse-grip press-ups target your biceps and back muscles more than regular push-ups. Because of the hand position, they’re more challenging, too. Clients have mentioned that they put strain on their wrists occasionally when doing these, so it’s worth taking caution when doing this exercise.

How to do it:

1. Start by getting into the high plank position. One hand at a time, rotate your hands so your fingers are pointing toward your feet.
2. Activate your core, squeeze your glutes, and then slowly lower yourself down.
3. When your chest is close to the ground, pause. Then, push yourself back up until your arms are straight.
4. Repeat for reps.

Why do it: With the advanced staggered push-up, you’ll develop serious core and upper body strength because of the balance needed to maintain this position. Let me tell you now, though—this exercise isn’t for the faint-hearted!

How to do it:

1. Get into the push-up position. Adjust your hands so your left hand stays where it is and your right hand moves backward (roughly between five and 10 inches).
2. Tuck your elbows in, engage your core, and bend at your elbows to lower yourself down.
3. Hold before returning to the original position.
4. Keep going for repetitions, then switch sides so your left hand is behind the right. 

Expert tip: Although I’ve mentioned exercising one side at a time before switching to the opposite side, you could swap after every rep. Ensure that you take a few moments to reset.

Why do it: With the Spiderman push-up, your obliques and hip flexors will be set ablaze because you’re moving one side at a time. It’s also a unilateral exercise, which means you may fix muscular imbalances on either side of the body. 

How to do it:

1. Begin by getting into the high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Squeeze your glutes, activate your core, and then bend at the elbows to move toward the ground.
3. At the same time, lift your left foot off the floor and bring your left knee to your left elbow.
4. Reverse the motion so you’re in the high plank position. On the next rep, bring your right knee to your right elbow instead.
5. Continue for the desired number of reps.

Why do it: You’ve done Spiderman; it’s time for your next superhero workout. Superman push-ups are one of the most challenging push-up variations on this list, so if you’re finding the rest of the exercises too easy, give these a try. Because of its explosive nature, you’ll seriously hit your upper body and core during this exercise.

How to do it:

1. Get into the push-up position. Now, brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
2. Bend your elbows to move toward the floor as you would with a regular push-up.
3. When your chest touches the floor, drive your palms into the ground to lift your entire body off the floor. Extend your arms as you do this to get into the Superman position.
4. Land in the bottom position where you started, rather than the high plank position. This helps to minimize the strain on your wrists during the movement.
5. Repeat for repetitions.

Why do it: It’s included in our list of plyometric exercises because clapping push-ups help to improve coordination, better your cardiovascular fitness, and give you more power and strength. You’ll also need to use your core strength during this exercise in order to leave the ground.

How to do it:

1. Once you’re in the high plank position, engage your core and glutes. You’ll want a straight line from head to toe.
2. Lower your body until your chest is as close as possible to the floor.
3. From here, explode upwards. Your hands will need to leave the ground so you can perform a quick clap.
4. Return your hands to the floor, catching and lowering yourself with control, then continue for reps.

Why do it: Pike push-ups are one of my favorites because of the emphasis placed on your upper chest and shoulders compared to standard push-ups. This is because you start in an inverted V-shape rather than a high plank position and need to rely heavily on your upper body strength and coordination to prevent falling.

How to do it:

1. Start in the push-up position. 
2. Walk both feet toward your hands until your body forms an inverted V-shape, with your hips sticking up.
3. Activate your core, squeeze your glutes, and then bend your elbows to move toward the floor. Keep going until your forehead is as close to the ground as possible.
4. Pause before pushing back up to the starting position.
5. Keep going for repetitions.

Expert tip: To make this exercise more difficult, start with your feet on an elevated surface, similar to decline push-ups. The only difference is that you’ll be in the pike position rather than the push-up position.

Why do it: Plyo push-ups are similar to clapping push-ups since your hands leave the ground but slightly easier because you don’t perform a clap while exploding up.

By doing plyo push-ups, you’ll reap the benefits of plyometric exercises, as shown in a 2015 study by the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy⁶. These benefits include increased power and velocity, increased peak force and velocity of acceleration, and increased time for force development.

How to do it:

1. Get into the high plank position.
2. Brace your core, activate your glutes, and then bend at your elbows to lower yourself until your chest is almost touching the floor.
3. Using force, push through your palms so your hands leave the ground. Land softly before resetting your body position.
4. Continue for the desired number of reps.

Why do it: You’ll increase balance and strength in your abs and lower back because you start with your hands on a less stable surface (a medicine ball) rather than the floor. Trust me, even balancing on a medicine ball in a plank position is challenging enough, nevermind doing a full push-up!

How to do it:

1. Kneel on the floor, and then place both hands on a medicine ball.
2. Walk your legs back until you’re in the push-up position. You’ll want your feet to be slightly wider than you’d usually have them to help with stability.
3. Contract your glutes and abs before lowering your chest toward the medicine ball.
4. When you can’t lower yourself further, hold before returning to the original position.
5. Repeat for the desired reps.

RELATED: Medicine Ball Workouts

Why do it: You’ll impose a greater degree of stimulus on your chest, shoulders, and triceps with weighted push-ups compared to regular push-ups because instead of using your body weight only, you’re adding extra load. There’s no limit to this exercise either, so I highly recommend it for advanced lifters.

How to do it:

1. Begin in the high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Place (or have a spotter place) a weight plate on your upper back. Alternatively, you can use one of the best weighted vests.
3. Brace your core, keep your head neutral, and then bend at your elbows to move toward the floor.
4. Pause, then straighten your arms to return to the beginning position.
5. Repeat for reps.

Expert tip: Weighted push-ups don’t have to be limited to having your hands shoulder-width apart. You can do other push-up variations on this list (such as close-grip and wide-grip) with extra load on your back. 

Why do it: When using a resistance band, you’re providing constant tension to the chest, shoulders, and tricep muscles throughout the full range of motion. As your arms straighten at the end of the movement, you should feel the effect of including a band. Other benefits of resistance bands include versatility and portability.

How to do it:

1. Take hold of a resistance band with both hands and position it at the back of your shoulders.
2. With your hands shoulder-width apart, get into the push-up position.
3. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your chest is as close to the floor as you can get it.
4. Hold before pushing through your palms to extend your arms. 
5. Keep going for reps.

Why do it: I mentioned above that Superman push-ups are one of the most advanced push-up variations. Well, Superman, you’ve met your kryptonite with single-arm push-ups. Because it’s a unilateral exercise, you’ll fix muscular imbalances on either side of the body while seriously improving your strength, coordination, and balance.

How to do it:

1. Start by getting into the press-up position. Spread your feet so they’re wider than hip-width apart (this will help to keep you stable during the movement).
2. Take your right hand off the ground and position it behind your back.
3. Move your body toward the floor by bending your left elbow. Pause, and then return to the starting position.
4. Continue for reps before switching hands so your left hand is behind your back instead.