Pike Push-up

The pike push-up is a push-up done from an inverted V position, hips high, so you press your bodyweight more vertically. It shifts the work from the chest to the shoulders and triceps, and it is the standard bodyweight substitute for an overhead press and the first step towards a handstand push-up.

Targets: Chest
Equipment: Body weight
Level: Beginner
Start with: 3 × 10-12, 60s rest

How to do it

Start in a push-up position, then walk your feet in and lift your hips until your body forms an upside-down V.
Set your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, arms straight, head between your arms.
Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head towards the floor, slightly in front of your hands.
Stop just before your head touches the floor.
Press back up to straight arms, pushing your hips towards the ceiling.

Form cues

Your head travels forward of your hands, forming a triangle with them.
Keep the hips high; the more vertical the torso, the harder it gets.
Elbows point back, not straight out to the sides.

Common mistakes

Letting the hips drop so it becomes an ordinary push-up. Keep the V shape for every rep.
Lowering the head straight down between the hands, which jams the shoulders. Aim for a spot just in front of them.
Going too fast into the bottom. The head is close to the floor; control it.

Where this fits in a week

Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your chest is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.

More chest movements

Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.