Master the Knuckle Push Ups for Maximum Strength

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Ready to take your push ups to the next level? The knuckle push up is a great way to challenge your body and build strength in the chest, core, arms, and shoulders.

Some people may refer to it as a “military push up” because it is sometimes used by military personnel as part of their physical training.

The knuckle push up is an advanced exercise that requires extra strength and stability, but can offer powerful rewards for those who master this challenging workout.

Learn how to do it correctly here!

Knuckle Push Ups
Table of Contents

What Is knuckle Push Ups?

A knuckle push up also known as closed fist push ups is a type of bodyweight exercise that targets the muscles of the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

It is similar to a traditional push up, but is performed with the hands in a closed fist position, with the knuckles facing the ground.

It can help to improve wrist and hand strength by increasing the stress on the wrist and hand muscles.

Knuckle push ups are often part of strength and conditioning programs to build upper body strength and stability. They are sometimes used by military personnel as part of their physical fitness training.

Benefits Of knuckle Push Ups

There are several benefits to incorporating knuckle push ups into your workout routine:

1. Improved upper body strength

It is an effective way to strengthen the muscles of the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

2. Improved wrist and hand strength

Because the hands are in a closed fist position during a knuckle push up, this exercise places added stress on the wrist and hand muscles, helping to improve their strength.

3. Increased mental and physical toughness

It requires a high level of body control and stability, and can be a challenging exercise to perform. Training with knuckle press up can help to increase mental and physical toughness.

4. Deep Range of Motion

Knuckle push-ups offer the advantage of a greater range of motion compared to many other types of push-ups, including the standard push-up.

This is because when the hands are formed into fists, they become relatively shorter, enabling a deeper push-up motion.

This deeper motion effectively targets the muscles in the pectoral and deltoid groups, providing a more intense stimulation.

5. Convenience

It ups can be performed anywhere with no equipment necessary, making them a convenient exercise option for those who don’t have access to a gym.

Muscle Worked During knuckle Push Ups

Knuckle push-ups target several muscles in the upper body, including:

They primarily work the chest muscles (pectoralis major and minor), as well as the triceps and the front of the shoulders (anterior deltoids).

They engage the core muscles, back muscles, serratus anterior as they help to stabilize the body during the exercise.

Knuckle push ups also engage the muscles of the wrists, hands, and forearms as they work to maintain a stable fist position.

Muscle Worked During knuckle Push Ups

Here’s how these muscles are engaged during the knuckle push ups:

  1. Pectoralis major: This is the large muscle in the chest that is responsible for moving the arms and shoulders.
  2. Triceps brachii: This muscle is located in the back of the upper arm and is responsible for extending the elbow joint.
  3. Anterior deltoid: This is the muscle in the front of the shoulder that is responsible for flexing and rotating the arm.
  4. Serratus anterior: This muscle is located along the sides of the rib cage and is responsible for pulling the shoulder blades forward and upward.
  5. Coracobrachialis: This muscle is located in the upper arm and is responsible for moving the arm towards the body.

How to Do a Knuckle Push Up

To perform a knuckle grip push up, follow these steps:

  • Start in a plank position with your hands in a closed fist position and your knuckles facing the ground.
  • Your feet should be hip-width apart and your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
  • Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your sides.
  • Your chest should come close to touching the ground.
  • Push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
  • Keep your core tight and your body in a straight line throughout the movement.
  • Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Knuckle Push Up

knuckle Push Ups Sets and Reps

Start by doing 2–3 sets of 8–15 repetitions of the knuckle push-up. Your sets and repetitions should be based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout the entire set and reps.

To help you get a clearer picture, here are some general guidelines.

Sets

  • Beginner, start with 2-3 sets
  • Intermediate can perform 3-4 sets
  • Intermediate can perform 3-5+ sets

Reps

  • Beginners start with 8-10 reps per set.
  • Intermediate can aim for 10-15 reps, and
  • Advanced trainees can target higher rep ranges, like 15-20 or even more.

Training Volume

Training volume refers to the total amount of work performed in a given session or week. It is typically calculated by multiplying the number of sets, reps, and exercises performed.

  • Beginners: Aim for a total volume of around 30-50 reps per session. This can be achieved through 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
  • Intermediate: Increase the volume to around 50-100 reps per session, distributed across 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps.
  • Advanced: As you progress, further increase the volume to 100 reps or more per session, divided into 4-5 sets of 15-25 reps.

Tips And Technique For Doing knuckle push Ups

It’s important to keep good form when performing closed fist push ups to avoid injury and get the most out of the exercise.

Here are some tips and techniques to help you get the most out of your knuckle push ups:

1. Keep good form

Make sure to keep your body in a straight line, with your core tight and your elbows close to your sides as you lower and raise your body. This will help to target the correct muscles and prevent injury.

2. Use a full range of motion

Lower your body all the way down to the ground, allowing your chest to almost touch the ground, and then push all the way back up to the starting position.

This will allow you to get the most out of the exercise and ensure that you are engaging all of the muscles involved.

3. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart

This will help to evenly distribute the weight across your upper body and ensure that you are using proper form.

4. Use proper grip

Make sure to keep your fists closed tightly and your knuckles facing the ground. This will help to properly engage the wrist and hand muscles and prevent your hands from slipping.

5. Gradually increase the difficulty

If you are a beginner, you can start by performing the exercise on your knees rather than your toes.

You can also increase the difficulty by adding additional reps or sets, or by using a resistance band or weight vest to add resistance.

Pre-Requisite Of Knuckle Push Up Exercises

Before attempting the knuckle push up, you should make sure that your upper body is prepared by completing some of these exercises.

The standard push-ups are a great way to get comfortable with the motion required for doing a closed fist push-ups knuckle push-up. These exercises also strengthen your chest, triceps, and shoulders, which can help protect against injuries.

Planks and mountain climbers increase stability and core strength, while helping you practice balance and proper upper body posture.

All of these pre-requisite exercises will ensure that your body is ready to do the effectively and safely.

Know More: Push-Ups: How-To, Muscle Worked, Benefit, Variations

Make It Easier Or Harder (Regression & Progression)

Once you have the basic form for the knuckle push up, there are several modifications and variations you can use to make your routine less or more challenging.

If you are a beginner, you can modify the exercise by performing it on your knees rather than your toes. Or doing, them on an elevated surface.

To make push ups harder, start by adding in pauses at the top or bottom of each rep. You can also try increasing the speed at which you do the motion for better endurance training.

To add more resistance, try using a weighted vest or bands.

Finally, if you want an even greater challenge, try single arm knuckle push ups.

Variations of A Knuckle Push Up

There are several ways you can modify or vary a knuckle push-up to suit your fitness level or target specific muscle groups.

1. Elevated Knuckle Push Ups

The elevated knuckle push-up is a variation of the traditional knuckle push-up, in which you hold your hands on a higher platform, like a bench or step, while doing the workout.

This increases the range of motion and makes the exercise more challenging.

How to Do an Elevated Knuckle Push Ups

  1. Place your hands on a raised surface, such as a bench or step, with your knuckles facing the ground.
  2. Your feet should be on the ground, hip-width apart.
  3. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your sides.
  4. Your chest should come close to touching the raised surface.
  5. Push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

2. Wide grip knuckle push ups

Wide grip knuckle push ups involves placing your hands wider than shoulder-width apart on the ground.

The wide grip enhances the targeting of the chest and deltoids, resulting in greater muscle growth and strength.

How to Do It

  1. Start by assuming a plank position, with your body in a straight line from head to heels.
  2. Position your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and knuckles touching the ground.
  3. Engage your core and lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them pointed outwards.
  4. Descend until your chest is close to the ground, maintaining a straight back and proper form.
  5. Push back up by extending your arms until you reach the starting position.
  6. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

3. Close grip knuckle Push Ups

Close grip knuckle push ups involves placing your hands closer together than shoulder-width apart on the ground.

The close grip emphasizes the triceps muscles, which make the arms stronger and more developed.

How to Do It

  1. Begin in a plank position with your hands placed on the ground in a closed fist position.
  2. Place your hands closer together than shoulder-width apart on the ground
  3. Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your sides.
  4. Extend your arms to push you back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

4. One-armed Knuckle Push Ups

Traditional knuckle push ups are a challenging exercise that involves performing the traditional knuckle push up with one arm.

It is recommended that this variation be attempted only by those who have mastered proper form and have sufficient strength.

How to Do An One-armed knuckle push ups

  1. Start in a plank position with your hands on the ground in a closed fist position.
  2. Lift one arm off the ground and shift your weight onto the other arm.
  3. Bend your elbow and lower yourself down to the ground.
  4. Push back up to the starting position by straightening your arm.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch arms and repeat on the other side.

5. Plyometric knuckle Push Ups

Plyometric knuckle push ups are a high-intensity exercise that involves an explosive movement off of the ground.

This exercise is designed to increase power and speed. Only those who have mastered proper form and have sufficient upper body strength should attempt it.

How to Do It

  1. Start with a plank position with your hands placed on the ground in a closed fist position.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your sides and lower your body towards the ground.
  3. Explosively push up off of the ground, using your arms and chest to propel your body upwards. Your hands should leave the ground briefly as you push off.
  4. Land softly back in the starting position and immediately repeat the movement.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Knuckle push up vs regular Push ups

However, there are a few key differences between the two exercises:

1. Grip

The main difference between the two exercises is the grip.

  • In a regular push up, the hands are placed flat on the ground with the fingers pointing forward.
  • In a knuckle push up, the hands are in a closed fist position, with the knuckles facing the ground.

2. Range of motion

Knuckle push ups may also have a slightly greater range of motion than regular push ups, as the hands are placed closer together in the closed fist position.

This can make the chest and triceps muscles work harder.

3. Difficulty

The closed fist position of the knuckle push up may make the exercise more challenging than a regular push up, as it requires greater stability and control.

Knuckle Push-Up Alternatives

If you are looking for alternatives to knuckle push ups that still target the muscles of the chest, triceps, and shoulders, here are a few options to consider:

1. Traditional push ups

These are a classic exercise that targets the same muscle groups as knuckle push ups, but with the hands in a flat position rather than a closed fist.

2. Dips

Dips are a compound exercise that primarily targets the muscles in the upper body, particularly the triceps, chest, and shoulders.

If you’re new to dips or find them hard, you can use resistance bands or a machine to help you until you get strong enough to do them alone.

3. Plyometric push ups

These are a more advanced version of the traditional push up that involve an explosive movement off of the ground. They can help to increase power and speed.

3. Resistance band push ups

A resistance band is used to provide added resistance as you perform the exercise. It’s a good option for enhancing the difficulty of the push up.

4. Incline push ups

Incline push up involves performing push ups with your feet on an elevated surface, such as a bench or step. This makes the exercise easier by reducing the amount of body weight that you need to lift.

FAQs

Are push-ups on knuckles better?

The knuckle push up is a variation of the regular push up that can give you some extra benefits, but they are not necessarily better than regular push ups.

Both exercises are effective at strengthening the chest, triceps, and shoulders, but knuckle push ups place additional emphasis on the wrists, hands, and forearms.

What muscles do knuckle push-ups work?

Knuckle push-ups primarily target the muscles of the upper body, including the chest (pectoral muscles), triceps, shoulders (deltoids), and core muscles.

They also engage the muscles in the wrists and forearms to provide stability and support.

Do knuckle push-ups strengthen your wrists?

Yes, knuckle push-ups can help strengthen the wrists. It helps develop wrist stability and strength over time by placing the weight on the knuckles instead of the palms.

Are knuckle push-ups bad for your hands?

Knuckle push-ups can put more stress on the knuckles and may cause discomfort or soreness, especially if done incorrectly or excessively. It is important to build up strength slowly, keep your form, and listen to your body to avoid injury.

How do you do knuckle push-ups without pain?

Proper form and technique is crucial for performing knuckle push-ups without pain. Start with a comfortable hand position and increase the intensity over time.

Ensure your knuckles are adequately padded or consider using push-up handles to reduce strain on the hands.

How do knuckle push-ups affect knuckles?

Regular practice of knuckle push-ups can make the skin, tissues, and bones around the knuckles tougher and stronger. This makes them more resistant to impact. However, excessive or improper push-ups can lead to bruising, discomfort, or even injury, so it’s essential to approach them with caution.

Can knuckle push-ups increase punching power?

The knuckle push-ups can help increase punching power by strengthening, as well as conditioning the wrists and knuckles.

However, punching strength can be influenced by numerous elements, such as technique, general strength, and speed, so knuckle push-ups alone might not be the only decisive element.

Are knuckle push-ups suitable for beginners?

Knuckle push-ups are usually harder than regular push-ups and may not be good for beginners who don’t have enough strength in their wrists and upper body. It’s best for beginners to start with regular push-ups and move up to knuckle push-ups.

Takeaways

The knuckle push ups are a great exercise because they help you build upper body strength and stability. It also works on strengthening the wrist and forearm muscles.

Knuckle push ups can be performed anywhere with no equipment necessary, making them a convenient and accessible exercise option.

Just be sure to maintain proper form and progress gradually to avoid injury and get the most out of the exercise.

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