- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternPush
- Reps8 to 30 reps
- Joint loadWrist
Place your hands on a sturdy bench, box or bar slightly wider than your shoulders and walk your feet back until your body is in a straight line.
First cueKeep your body in one straight line.
How to do the Incline Push-Up
Set up. Place your hands on a sturdy bench, box or bar slightly wider than your shoulders and walk your feet back until your body is in a straight line.
- Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the edge of the support.
- Push back up to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep your body in one straight line.
- A higher support makes it easier, a lower one harder.
- Keep your elbows at about forty-five degrees.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips sag.
- Using a support that can slide or tip.
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.
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 Incline 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.
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press Same push session: it trains the front delts.
- 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
5 movements, the Incline 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.
- Incline Push-Up 3 × 8 to 30 reps
- Inverted Row 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 6 to 15 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 Incline 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: Deficit Push-Up, Pike Push-Up, Knee Push-Up, Diamond Push-Up and Archer Push-Up.
Do before it: Wall Push-Up (same movement, lighter), Scapular Push-Up (shoulder blades), Knee Push-Up (same movement, lighter) and Incline Push-Up (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Incline 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 Incline Push-Up?
Set up: Place your hands on a sturdy bench, box or bar slightly wider than your shoulders and walk your feet back until your body is in a straight line. Steps: 1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes. 2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the edge of the support. 3. Push back up to straight arms. Form cues: Keep your body in one straight line. A higher support makes it easier, a lower one harder. Keep your elbows at about forty-five degrees. Common mistakes: Letting the hips sag. Using a support that can slide or tip.
What muscles does the Incline Push-Up work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the triceps and abs on the way.
What can I do instead of the Incline 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 Incline Push-Up with?
Good partners in the same workout are Inverted Row, Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Upright Row and Barbell Shrug.