How to do a Rotation Push Up
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Rotation Push Up
Workouts with Rotation Push Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Incorporates a rotational twist to the standard push-up, targeting the chest, shoulders, and obliques. This variation enhances core stability and rotational strength, suitable for those looking to add a functional twist to their push-up routine.
- Lie prone with your legs straight and your elbows bent so your palms are on the ground next to your chest.
- Straighten your arms to raise your torso and legs to create a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- Place your weight into your right arm to rotate your torso and raise your left arm vertically above you so your right and left arm are aligned.
- Rotate your torso to bring your left palm back to the ground and perform a push up.
- Repeat with the opposite side.
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Alternative Exercises to Rotation Push Up
1. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,209 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
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2. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 1,032 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
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3. Dumbbell Floor Press
73.8 mSCORESWAPPED 944 TIMESThe Dumbbell Floor Press targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders, offering a safer alternative to the bench press by limiting the range of motion. This exercise is effective for strengthening the upper body, with a focus on the lockout portion of the press, enhancing tricep strength and reducing shoulder strain. Ideal for those with limited equipment or seeking to minimize shoulder stress while still engaging the chest and arms.
4. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 864 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.
5. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 731 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.
6. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 508 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.
7. Incline Push Up
77.2 mSCORESWAPPED 478 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.
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8. Tricep Push Up
80.8 mSCORESWAPPED 434 TIMESSimilar to other Push Up variations, this compound, bodyweight exercise targets the chest, triceps and shoulders, however keeping you elbow close to your sides significantly increases the strain placed on the triceps than with other variations.
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9. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
82 mSCORESWAPPED 429 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.
10. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 407 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.