How to do a TRX Atomic Push Up
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About TRX Atomic Push Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Combines a TRX push-up with a knee tuck, targeting the chest, shoulders, core, and legs. This dynamic exercise improves overall strength, stability, and cardiovascular fitness, suitable for advanced fitness levels.
- Drop down to your hands and knees with your feet underneath the TRX anchor point.
- The TRX handles should be 1-2’ above the floor in order for you to put your feet into the handle straps.
- Brace your core to maintain a neutral spine as you lift your knees making a straight alignment from your heels to your shoulders and place your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
- Descend your chest to the floor by flexing your elbows past your sides at a 45 degree angle from your torso until your chest is just above the floor.
- Extend your arms before flexing both knees in towards your chest and returning to the starting position.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average TRX Atomic 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.
- beginner3sets7reps1 Set Max8reps
- intermediate4sets7reps9reps
- advanced4sets8reps10reps
Enter your stats to calculate your Sets & Reps
Alternative Exercises to TRX Atomic Push Up
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 544 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. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 371 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 Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 319 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.
4. Dumbbell Larson Press
72.7 mSCORESWAPPED 307 TIMESDumbbell Larson Press is a variation of the bench press that eliminates leg drive by keeping your legs elevated or off the ground. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By removing leg drive, you focus purely on upper body strength and stability, making it a great exercise to improve your bench press form and muscle isolation.
5. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 253 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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6. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 252 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
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7. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 244 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.
8. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 240 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.
9. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
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10. Leg Raise With Dumbbell Pull Over
49.7 mSCORESWAPPED 218 TIMESLeg Raise With Dumbbell Pull Over is a combination of two movements: a leg raise and a dumbbell pull over. This is a compound exercise that engages the core, shoulders, and lats. Performing both movements simultaneously increases the challenge for coordination and core stability, making it a great exercise for developing functional strength and muscle endurance.