Muscles worked
What the pike 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
Start in a push-up. Get into a push-up position with your hands flat, about shoulder width apart, fingers spread and pointing forward.
- 02
Walk your feet in. Walk your feet toward your hands and lift your hips until your body makes an upside-down V. Your legs stay straight or close to it, feet about hip width.
- 03
Stack your weight. Shift your shoulders forward until they are over or slightly in front of your wrists, so more of your weight is on your hands than your feet.
- 04
Set your head. Let your head hang in line with your arms and look back toward your feet. Do not crane your neck to look forward.
- 05
Use a soft landing. Put a folded mat or towel on the floor just in front of your hands, where your head will touch.
Step by step
How to do the pike push-up
- 01
Take a breath. Brace lightly, keep your hips high and your arms straight with your shoulders pushed away from the floor.
- 02
Lower. Bend your elbows and lower slowly, aiming the top of your head at the spot just in front of your hands, so head and hands form a triangle.
- 03
Elbows back. Let your elbows bend back toward your knees at about 45 degrees from your body, not straight out to the sides, so your forearms stay close to vertical.
- 04
Touch lightly. Lower until your head lightly touches the mat, or as far as you can control. Do not rest your weight on your head.
- 05
Press. Push the floor away and press back along the same path until your arms are straight and your hips are high again.
- 06
Reset at the top. Finish each rep with straight arms and your shoulders pushed up toward your ears before you start the next one.
Cues to say in your head
- Hips high
- Head to the triangle
- Elbows back, not out
- Push the floor away
- Shoulders over hands
- Slow on the way down
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Hips dropping into a push-up
Walk your feet closer and keep your hips stacked high. If the hips sink, the rep turns into a regular push-up and the shoulders do less.
Head landing between or behind your hands
Aim for the spot just in front of your hands so head and hands make a triangle. That keeps your forearms close to vertical, the same position you will use later in a handstand push-up.
Elbows flaring straight out
Point your elbows back toward your knees at roughly 45 degrees. Flared elbows usually feel pinchy in the front of the shoulder.
Cutting the depth short
Lower until your head touches the mat. If you cannot reach it with control, use an easier version rather than half reps.
Craning the neck to look forward
Let your head hang between your arms and look back toward your feet. Your neck should stay relaxed.
Dropping into the bottom
Take two to three seconds to lower. Falling the last few inches puts your head into the floor.
Stay safe
Lower slowly and keep a folded mat under your head so a missed rep ends with a light touch, not a bump. If you cannot press back up, bend your knees to the floor and lower your chest down instead of resting on your head; with your feet on a box, step your feet down first. Stop if you feel neck pain, sharp or pinching shoulder pain, wrist pain that lingers, or dizziness from being head down, and see a qualified professional if pain keeps coming back.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 4 to 6 | 82–90% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 15 | 65–80% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
| Technique | 2 to 4 | 5 to 8 | 50–65% 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
Muscle sets
140–173lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps, 1.5 to 2 min rest. Take sets close to failure. When you pass 15 reps, move to a harder version.
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
Pike Push-Up questions
What muscles do pike push-ups work?
Mainly the front of the shoulders and the triceps. The side delts, upper chest, traps and serratus help, and your abs keep your hips high.
What is the pike push up progression?
Start with your hands on a bench or your knees bent if a floor pike is too hard, then build to sets of 10 or more on the floor. After that, raise your feet on a box, and later put your hands on blocks so your head can go below hand level. Elevated pike reps are the usual bridge to the handstand push-up.
Where should my head touch in a pike push-up?
Just in front of your hands, so your head and hands form a triangle. That keeps your forearms close to vertical and the load on your shoulders.
Should my legs be straight in a pike push-up?
Straight or nearly straight legs make it easier to get your hips high and your shoulders over your hands. Bend your knees a little if tight hamstrings stop you from getting into the V.
Can pike push-ups replace the overhead press?
They train the same muscles and work well when you have no weights. They are harder to load in small steps, so many people use the overhead press for long term strength and pike push-ups at home or as extra work.
How many pike push-ups should I do?
Three to four sets of 8 to 15 reps works well for most people. If you can do more than 15 clean reps, make it harder by raising your feet.
Train in Protocol
Log your pike 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.