Muscles worked
What the diamond push-up trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Make the diamond. Kneel and place your hands on the floor so your thumb tips and index finger tips touch, leaving a diamond shaped gap between them. Spread your other fingers for a stable base.
- 02
Hands under your chest. Put the diamond under the lower part of your chest, around your breastbone, not under your face. Hands too far forward tend to shift the work to your shoulders.
- 03
Walk into a plank. Step your feet back until your body is straight from head to heels, feet about hip width apart. Wider feet make it easier to stay balanced.
- 04
Brace. Squeeze your glutes, tighten your thighs and pull your ribs down so your hips line up with your shoulders. Keep your neck long, eyes on the floor just ahead of your hands.
Step by step
How to do the diamond push-up
- 01
Start at the top. Arms straight and shoulders stacked over your hands, pushing the floor away so your upper back is slightly rounded, not sunk between your shoulder blades.
- 02
Lower. Bend your elbows and lower your whole body as one piece. Let your elbows travel back toward your hips, close to your ribs. A slight angle out is normal with your hands this close, but don't let them open wide to the sides.
- 03
Bottom. Go down until your chest lightly touches the backs of your hands or comes within a couple of inches of them. Keep your hips level with your shoulders.
- 04
Press. Push the floor away and straighten your elbows, keeping them close to your sides. Your chest and hips rise together.
- 05
Finish. Lock your elbows at the top and push your shoulder blades apart for a moment before the next rep.
Cues to say in your head
- Diamond under your chest
- Elbows back, not out
- Chest to hands
- Body moves as one
- Push the floor away
- Squeeze your glutes
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Elbows flaring wide to the sides
Point them back toward your hips, close to your ribs. A slight angle out is normal with your hands together, but wide elbows take work off the triceps and tend to strain the shoulders.
Hands under your face
Slide the diamond down to your lower chest. With your hands up near your head, your shoulders tend to take over and your elbows flare.
Hips sagging or piking up
Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs so you stay in a straight line. If you cannot hold it, scale with your hands on a bench or drop to your knees.
Short reps
Bring your chest all the way to your hands or close to them. If you can only do half reps, use an easier version and do full ones.
Wrists or thumbs aching
Spread your fingers and press through your whole palm, or move your hands slightly apart. Thumbs touching is the goal, not a rule.
Stay safe
Diamond push-ups tend to put more load through the elbows and wrists than regular push-ups, so build up the reps gradually and warm up with a few easy sets first. Stop the set when your hips sag or your elbows start flaring, and lower yourself to the floor under control rather than collapsing. If you feel sharp pain in your elbow, wrist or shoulder, stop, move your hands a little wider or use an easier version, and see a physio or doctor if it keeps coming back.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 15 | 65–75% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 25 | 50–65% 1RM | 45 to 90 sec |
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 5 to 8 | 75–85% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Technique | 2 to 4 | 5 to 10 | 40–60% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Endurance sets
108–140lb
2 to 3 sets of 15 to 25 reps, 45 to 90 sec rest. Good as a finisher after your main pressing. Stop when your form breaks, not at a set number.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Diamond Push-Up questions
What muscles do diamond push-ups work?
Mainly the triceps, with the chest as the other prime mover and the front shoulders helping. Your abs, glutes and serratus hold your body straight and your shoulder blades steady.
Diamond push up vs regular push up: what's the difference?
The diamond puts your hands together under your chest, so your elbows stay close to your sides and the triceps do more of the work. A regular push-up with hands a bit wider than your shoulders uses more chest. The diamond is harder, so most people do fewer reps.
Are diamond push-ups good for triceps?
Yes. They are one of the most popular triceps exercises you can do without equipment, because the narrow hands keep your elbows close and make your triceps do more of the pressing. Pair them with a triceps isolation exercise if you want more volume.
Are diamond push-ups bad for your wrists or elbows?
Not for most people, but the narrow hands tend to load the wrists and elbows more than a regular push-up. If they ache, spread your fingers, move your hands slightly apart and build up reps slowly.
How do I make diamond push-ups easier?
Put your hands on a bench or box, or do them from your knees, keeping the same hand position and elbow path. Lower the height or come off your knees as you get stronger.
How many diamond push-ups should I do?
For muscle, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 taken close to failure works well. If you cannot do 8 clean reps on the floor, use a bench until you can.
Train in Protocol
Log your diamond push-up by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.