- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternPush
- Reps5 to 20 reps
- Joint loadWrist
Place two sturdy push-up handles, blocks or weight plates under your hands, slightly wider than your shoulders. Step back into a straight plank.
First cueKeep the body rigid.
How to do the Deficit Push-Up
Set up. Place two sturdy push-up handles, blocks or weight plates under your hands, slightly wider than your shoulders. Step back into a straight plank.
- Brace and lower your chest down between your hands.
- Go below hand level to a comfortable stretch in the chest.
- Push back up to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep the body rigid.
- Control the extra depth at the bottom.
- Keep the shoulders away from your ears.
Common mistakes
- Dropping into the bottom too fast.
- Using a deficit deeper than your shoulders can control.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Triceps and Front delts.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Deficit Push-Up, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Inverted Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Barbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Deficit Push-Up first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Deficit Push-Up 3 × 5 to 20 reps
- Inverted Row 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Barbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Machine Chest Press
Machine
Less load on the wrist
Dumbbell Bench Press
The Deficit Push-Up loads the wrist by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Push-Up.
Other variations of the Push-Up: Incline Push-Up, Pike Push-Up, Knee Push-Up, Diamond Push-Up and Archer Push-Up.
Do before it: Push-Up (same movement, lighter), Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range), Scapular Push-Up (shoulder blades) and Knee Push-Up (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Deficit Push-Up is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Deficit Push-Up?
Set up: Place two sturdy push-up handles, blocks or weight plates under your hands, slightly wider than your shoulders. Step back into a straight plank. Steps: 1. Brace and lower your chest down between your hands. 2. Go below hand level to a comfortable stretch in the chest. 3. Push back up to straight arms. Form cues: Keep the body rigid. Control the extra depth at the bottom. Keep the shoulders away from your ears. Common mistakes: Dropping into the bottom too fast. Using a deficit deeper than your shoulders can control.
What muscles does the Deficit Push-Up work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the triceps and front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Deficit Push-Up?
At home: Dumbbell Bench Press. In a gym: Machine Chest Press. With less load on the wrist: Dumbbell Bench Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Deficit Push-Up with?
Good partners in the same workout are Inverted Row, Upright Row and Barbell Shrug.