How to Do Incline Push Ups

Need a hard hitting exercise that will blast your pectoral muscles to failure after you’ve performed your benching? Look no further than incline push ups. Targeting not only your upper pectorals, but also your front deltoids, triceps, and back muscles, incline push ups provide an excellent stretch for your chest area, making it a great finish to your workout. Not using weights? Not a problem. Incline push ups can also be performed independently or supersetted with another variation of push ups if you’re exercising from home or the office.

Things You'll Need

• Platform or Step Box

Instructions

1. Begin in the standard push up position with a platform or stepping box directly in front of you. Your legs should be in a closed position, making a straight line with your torso. Keep your back straight and head facing down.

2. Place your hands on the elevated surface with your palms facing down. Position your arms shoulder-width apart.

3. Inhale and bring your upper body down, bending at the elbows until your face is one inch away from the elevated surface. Make sure your abdominal muscles are tightened and your head down. You should also feel the stretch in your upper pectoral muscles.

4. Exhale and return to the starting position. This is considered one full repetition. Repeat until desired number of repetitions is complete. It is recommended to perform three sets of fifteen repetitions.

Tips & Warnings

• For a better stretch in your pectoral muscles, use a separate stepping box or platform for each arm, allowing your chest to travel down than in a normal push up.

• Switching your hand placement will place greater emphasis on other areas of your upper body. For example, if you take a wider grip, more emphasis will be placed on the chest muscles.

• To decrease the difficulty of the exercise, perform the push ups with your knees bent.

• If you experience any discomfort or pain in either your shoulders or elbows, stop the exercise immediately. People with elbow tendinitis and shoulder instability should pay careful attention.