Pike Push-Ups: How To Do, Muscles Worked, and Form

Standard Push-ups are a compound bodyweight exercise that has survived the test of time and is the single most efficient exercise for simultaneously strengthening the chest, arms, deltoid, lower back, abs, and glutes.

Pike push-ups are a more challenging version of the traditional push-up that emphasizes the shoulder muscles and also trains the triceps and upper chest.

Pike push-ups are harder than normal push-ups because of the upward vertical position that puts more emphasis on the shoulder muscles and triceps and less on the pectoral.

In conclusion, the pike push (shoulder push-up) works the pectoral muscles less and the shoulders and triceps more. You must add this to your workout routine to build additional strength and muscle mass and improve weak areas in your shoulders.

Pike Push Up Muscles Worked

• Pike push-ups primarily target the deltoids, triceps and chest (upper pec)
• They also engage the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis and obliques, as well as the muscles in the back, such as the lats and rhomboids.
• Additionally, pike push-ups can also work the muscles in the legs, including the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, as they help to maintain proper body alignment and stability during the exercise.

The study has shown that when pike push-ups performed on unstable surfaces (BOSU, Swiss Ball) significantly increased muscle activation in the core muscles Rectus Abdominis (RA), External Oblique (EO), and Lateral Spinal Erector (LSES).

How To Do Pike Push-Ups

1. Start in a standard push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and elbows completely locked out.
2. Tighten your core muscles to stabilize your spine. Think about drawing your belly button toward your spine.
3. Lift the hips up until your body forms an inverted V shape. Keep arms and legs as straight as possible.
4. Slowly lower the top of your head towards the ground.
5. Once your head is about to make contact with the ground, pause for a second.
6. Then, push through your palms to straighten your arms and lift your body back to the starting position.
7. Do 8–12 Reps and 3–4 sets

If you are a beginner, you may want to start with a modified version of the pike push-up, such as with your knees on the ground or your hands on an elevated surface. Putting your hands on a block or a higher surface than your feet reduces resistance.

As you build up your strength and endurance, you can gradually progress to the full version of the exercise.

Pike Push Form and Tips

• Look slightly forward, not directly at the ground, to keep your neck neutral. This helps maintain the natural curve of your spine, preventing unnecessary strain on your neck.
• Perform 2–3 sets of 6–8 repetitions for the pike push-ups. As you build strength, add more reps and sets.
• Choose the exercises according to your fitness levels. Also, choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.
• Pay extra attention to your form and emphasize quality over quantity to improve your upper-body strength.
• Never let your head touch the floor, but try to get as close to it as possible.
• Slow down all of your movements and stay focused on your form.
• If you are having trouble perfecting your form for this exercise, it can be helpful to break down the movement, regress, and work on the foundation.
• Incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program to see continual progress and build body strength.
• Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Pike Push-Ups Variations (Make it easier or harder)

To make pike pushups easier, you can place your hands on a low box or on a chair. Anyone can do this beginner version because you’re not lifting a large percentage of your body weight, and it doesn’t require as much flexibility. Knee pike push-up is also the best variation for beginners.

To make pike pushups harder, you can use any of the variations listed below, which elevate your feet. Furthermore, elevating your hands in any way increases the rage of motion.

The higher up on your feet you put your feet, the harder a Pike Push Up will be because it will look more like a Handstand Push Up, with your bodyweight being placed on the shoulders. 

Once you’ve mastered the pike push-up, you may want to try handstand push-ups, one of the toughest bodyweight exercises.

1. Elevated Pike Push-Up

The Elevated Pike Push-Up is an advanced variation of the standard Pike push-up. Your feet are elevated on a bench, box, or any stable surface.

Elevating your feet on a box because you are now stabilizing a heavier percentage of your bodyweight on your arms.

This elevation increases the angle of your body, emphasizing your shoulders, triceps, and upper chest.

How To Do

1. Elevate your feet to an appropriate height for your current strength.
2. Lift the hips up and back until your body forms an inverted V shape. Keep arms and legs as straight as possible.
3. Slowly lower the top of your head towards the ground. Once your head is about to contact the ground, pause for a second.
4. Then slowly push back until your arms are straight, and you’re in the inverted V position.

2. Pike Push-Up Between Bench

The pike push-up should be performed on two benches, as this allows you to lower your head between the two benches and thus ensures a full range of motion.

However, if two benches are not available, you can perform the pike push-up on the floor. Just be careful not to hit your head.

How To Do

1. Position two flat benches side by side, shoulder-width apart from each other.
2. Place each hand on one end of each bench and each foot on the other end of each bench.
3. Raise your hips by extending your knees. Keep your legs straight, and inhale as you lower your head between the two benches.
4. Exhale as you push your body back up to the starting position.

3 Pike To Cobra Push Up

Are you ready to combine the Cobra Yoga Pose and the pike push-up?

Pike-to-Cobra push-ups are a strengthening and stretching exercise for your shoulder and lower back, including some light arm work. They will also help to stretch your groin, abs, and hip flexors, but to a lesser degree.

You can also use them in a calisthenics training regime.

How To Do

1. Start in a standard push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and elbows completely locked out.
2. Lift the hips up and back until your body forms an inverted V shape. Keep arms and legs as straight as possible.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your chest until it’s just above the floor, going into low plank pose.
4. In a scooping motion, scoop your head upward while arching your lower and upper back and go into cobra pose.
5. To return to the starting position, you do not need to reverse through the sweeping, arching motion. Instead, push back into the starting position.

How To Add pike Push-Up To Your Workout Routines

There are several ways to incorporate them into your workout routine:

1. As a standalone exercise: You can perform a set of them on their own as part of a bodyweight-only workout.
2. As a warm-up: They can be a great way to warm up the shoulders and upper body muscles before a more intense workout.
3. In a circuit: You can include them with other exercises, such as squats, lunges, and burpees, to create a full-body workout.
4. As a finisher, they can be challenging exercises, making them a great way to finish off a workout and push your muscles to fatigue.

When adding pike push-ups to your routine, it’s important to start with a manageable number of reps and gradually increase the volume over time as your strength and endurance improve.

FAQs

Are pike push-ups harder than regular push-ups?

Pike push-ups are generally more challenging than regular push-ups because they require more strength and stability in the upper body and core.

In a pike push-up, the body is inverted position, with the hips and legs lifted off the ground, which puts more of the body’s weight onto the hands and shoulders.

This increases the demand on the shoulders, triceps, and core muscles, making the exercise more challenging.

Additionally, It requires more coordination and control, as the body is in an unstable position and there is a greater range of motion.

This can make the exercise more difficult for some people, especially beginners.

Do pike push-ups work upper chest?

Pike push-ups do not specifically target the upper chest muscles. They primarily work the muscles in the shoulders, chest, triceps, and core.

However, while it may not directly target the upper chest, they can still contribute to overall upper body strength and muscle development, which can in turn help to improve the appearance of the upper chest.

To specifically target the upper chest muscles, you can try exercises such as incline bench press, incline dumbbell press, or incline flyes.

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.