How to do an Incline Push Up
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Incline Push Up
Flat Bench
Instructions for Proper Form
Targets the lower chest and shoulders by elevating the feet, decreasing the difficulty level compared to traditional push-ups. This variation is beneficial for beginners or those focusing on lower chest development.
- Start with your elbows fully extended and your hands placed on an elevated platform just outside shoulder-width apart.
- Brace your core to keep straight alignment from your heels to your shoulders. Place your feet at shoulder-width apart with your toes tucked underneath.
- Flex your elbows to descend your chest to the platform while keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle to your torso.
- Return to the starting position after your chest has gently touched the platform.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Incline Push Up standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner3sets8reps1 Set Max9reps
- intermediate4sets8reps10reps
- advanced4sets9reps11reps
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Alternative Exercises to Incline Push Up
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 2,966 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
2. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 1,908 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
3. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,654 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Fly Machine
4. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 1,532 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
5. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,402 TIMESMachine Bench Press is a compound exercise the primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which can be a great way to learn the movement, or to focus your effort on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Bench Press Machine
6. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,382 TIMESPush Ups may be the most recognizable exercises out there. It’s one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do, and is a great way to develop functional strength in your upper body for pushing movements. It’s fantastic for beginners, or anyone with limited equipment, while still being a great addition for even the most seasoned lifters.
- Intermediate
- Chest
7. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 1,199 TIMESPush Up on Knees is a beginner-friendly variation of the standard Push Up. This compound, bodyweight exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By performing the exercise on your knees, you reduce the overall resistance, making it easier to execute. This is a great exercise for building the foundational strength needed to progress to full Push Ups.
- Beginner
- Chest
8. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
82 mSCORESWAPPED 1,192 TIMESAlternating Dumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Bench Press. Like other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. By alternating arms, you add instability and a greater need for core stabilization, helping to address any strength discrepancies between sides. This variation can also increase time under tension, making it an excellent exercise for muscle endurance.
9. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 1,022 TIMESSimilar to other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Unlike many other variations, some of the tension from this exercise is caused by pressing two dumbbells together rather than simply relying on the weight of those dumbbells. This helps maintain more tension in your chest throughout the movement without relying on other pieces of equipment. The positioning of the dumbbells can also take some tension out of your shoulders, and helps to further isolate your chest.
10. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 988 TIMESBench Press is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common upper body exercises. It’s a fantastic compound exercise that can help you build strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking upper body strength in general.