How to do an Incline Tricep Push Up
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About this exercise
- Sets Logged
- 323,133
- Popularity Rank
- 617th
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Chest Strength
- 73 mSCORE 41st
- Equipment Required
Flat Bench
Workouts with Incline Tricep Push Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Performed with hands on an inclined surface, focusing on the triceps, shoulders, and chest. This variation increases tricep engagement, ideal for those aiming to strengthen and tone their upper arms.
- Place your hands onto an elevated surface (such as a bench) with your hands just outside shoulder width apart.
- Straighten your torso and legs to create a rigid straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the bench while keeping elbows close to your torso.
- Extend your arms and return to the starting position while maintaining a right straight body position.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Incline Tricep 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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Alternatives & Variations to Incline Tricep Push Up
1. Incline Push Up
77.2 mSCORESWAPPED 283 TIMESTargets 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.
2. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 209 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. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 193 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.
4. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
82 mSCORESWAPPED 193 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.
5. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 186 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.
6. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 163 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.
7. Around the Worlds
62.4 mSCORESWAPPED 137 TIMESAround the Worlds is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and chest. It involves moving a pair of light dumbbells in a circular motion above your head and out to the sides, forming a full range of motion around your body. This exercise can help improve shoulder mobility and stability, while also engaging the chest muscles for added muscle activation.
8. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 130 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
9. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 125 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.
10. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 106 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.