Pike Push Up | Exercise Guide

Pike Push Up

Pike push up is a variation of the traditional push-up exercise that targets the muscles of the shoulders, upper back, and core.

  • Primary muscles worked: shoulders
  • Secondary muscles worked: biceps, triceps, chest, upper back
  • Equipment: No equipment
  • Calories Burned: 9 cal (1 minute)
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Pike Push Up Instructions

  1. Get down on your hands and feet. Engage your core and lift your hips up towards the ceiling, forming an inverted V-shape with your body.
  2. Bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground, until your arms form a 90-degree angle. Keeping your hips lifted.
  3. Push back up to the starting position, straightening your arms.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets And Reps

  • Beginner: 2–3 sets of 5–8 reps
  • Advanced: 2–3 sets of 15 reps

Start with easy exercises and build up your strength. If you find that pike push ups are too difficult, start with knee push ups and bodyweight push ups.

Pike Push Up Benefits

  1. Improved upper body strength: Pike push-ups require you to lift your entire body weight using your upper body muscles, which can help improve your overall upper body strength.
  2. Increased shoulder stability: The pike position used in this exercise requires your shoulders to be in a stable, externally rotated position, which can help improve your shoulder stability and reduce your risk of injury.

  3. Enhanced flexibility: The pike position used in this exercise can help improve your flexibility in the shoulders and upper back, which can improve your range of motion and overall athletic performance.

  4. Improved posture: The pike push-up can help improve your posture by strengthening the muscles of the upper back and shoulders, which can help you maintain a proper alignment when standing or sitting.

Overall, pike push-ups are a great exercise for improving upper body strength, shoulder stability, core strength, flexibility, and posture. It is important to perform the exercise with proper form to avoid injury and maximize the benefits.

Pike Push Up Variations

Push-ups can be modified in a number of ways to make it easier or more difficult, depending on your fitness level. You may wonder what type of push-ups are easiest or hardest. Here are some push-up variations to try:

Pike Push Up FAQs

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

Pike push-ups are generally considered to be more challenging than regular push-ups. Because the pike position used in the exercise places greater demands on the muscles of the shoulders, upper back, and core, which can make the exercise more difficult to perform.

How do beginners do pike push ups?

Here are a few tips to help you:

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to maintain a stable.
  • Avoid letting your hips drop or your back arch as you lower yourself towards the ground.
  • If the exercise is too challenging, try modifying it by placing your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or step, to make it easier.

If you find that it is too difficult, start with knee push ups and bodyweight push ups.

Related Upper Body Exercises

Here are some other lower body exercises that will help you strengthen, sculpt and tone your thighs, hips, legs and glutes:

  • Leg raises
  • Flutter kicks
  • Single leg lunge
  • Lunges

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