How to do a pike push-up
A pike push-up is a push-up with your hips raised high so your body forms an upside-down V. Lowering your head toward the floor turns the move into a vertical press, which trains the shoulders far more than a normal push-up. It is the bodyweight stand-in for an overhead press, and the first step toward a handstand push-up.
Muscles worked
Main: Shoulders (deltoids), Triceps.
Also working: Upper chest, Upper back (trapezius), Core.
How to do a pike push-up
- Start in a downward-dog position: hands shoulder-width apart, hips high, legs as straight as is comfortable.
- Walk your feet in until your hips are roughly above your shoulders.
- Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward a point just in front of your hands, so head and hands make a triangle.
- Stop when your head lightly touches the floor or just before.
- Press back up through your shoulders until your arms are straight.
Form tips
- Hips high, body like an upside-down V
- Lower head toward the floor
- Press back up through the shoulders
Common mistakes
Turning it into a normal push-up
If your head comes down between or behind your hands and your hips drop, the chest takes over. Keep the hips high and lower your head in front of your hands.
Elbows flaring wide
Wide elbows stress the shoulders. Keep them angled back at about 45°.
Going too deep too soon
Control matters more than depth. If you cannot control the bottom, stop a few centimetres above the floor and go lower as you get stronger.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier: Push-up, Dumbbell shoulder press
How many to do
A good starting point is 3 sets of 8 reps, resting 60–90 seconds between sets. Stop each set 1–2 reps before your form breaks down. When every set feels easy, add a few reps, then move to a harder version.
Questions
What do pike push-ups work?
Mainly the shoulders and triceps. They are the main bodyweight exercise for shoulder strength.
How do I make pike push-ups harder?
Put your feet on a step or chair so more of your weight is over your hands. That is the progression toward a handstand push-up.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, and stop if an exercise causes pain.
