- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternPush
- Reps5 to 20 reps
- Joint loadShoulder and Wrist
Start in a push-up position, then walk your feet in and lift your hips high so your body forms an upside-down V.
First cueKeep your hips high.
How to do the Pike Push-Up
Set up. Start in a push-up position, then walk your feet in and lift your hips high so your body forms an upside-down V.
- Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward the floor between your hands.
- Stop just before it touches.
- Push back up to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep your hips high.
- Move your head forward of your hands slightly.
- Raise your feet on a box to make it harder.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips drop so it becomes a push-up.
- Flaring the elbows straight out.
Muscles worked
Main target: Front delts. The front head of the deltoid caps the front of the shoulder. It raises the arm forward and helps in every press, which is why it is often trained more than its two neighbours.
On the way: Side delts and Triceps.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Rear delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Pike Push-Up, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Prone T-Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Dip Same push session: it trains the chest.
- Barbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Pike 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.
- Pike Push-Up 3 × 5 to 20 reps
- Prone T-Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Dip 3 × 4 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 Shoulder Press
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Machine Shoulder Press
Machine
Less load on the shoulder
Landmine Press
The Pike Push-Up loads the shoulder 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, Deficit Push-Up, Knee Push-Up, Diamond Push-Up and Archer Push-Up.
Do before it: Scapular Push-Up (shoulder blades), Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range), Knee Push-Up (same movement, lighter) and Incline Push-Up (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Pike 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 Pike Push-Up?
Set up: Start in a push-up position, then walk your feet in and lift your hips high so your body forms an upside-down V. Steps: 1. Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward the floor between your hands. 2. Stop just before it touches. 3. Push back up to straight arms. Form cues: Keep your hips high. Move your head forward of your hands slightly. Raise your feet on a box to make it harder. Common mistakes: Letting the hips drop so it becomes a push-up. Flaring the elbows straight out.
What muscles does the Pike Push-Up work?
It trains the front delts as its main target and works the side delts and triceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Pike Push-Up?
At home: Dumbbell Shoulder Press. In a gym: Machine Shoulder Press. With less load on the shoulder: Landmine Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Pike Push-Up with?
Good partners in the same workout are Prone T-Raise, Dip and Barbell Shrug.