How to do a TRX Push Up
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About TRX Push Up
Workouts with TRX Push Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Involves performing push-ups with hands in TRX straps, increasing core engagement and stability. This variation allows for deeper push-ups, enhancing chest, shoulder, and core strength.
- Place your extended arms underneath your shoulders and place your feet in the TRX loops before raising your hips off the ground to create a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- With your hips and knees extended throughout the exercise, flex your elbows to descend your chest to the floor while keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle to your torso.
- Return to the starting position after your chest has reached the floor and repeat for the allotted repetitions.
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Average TRX Push Up standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to TRX Push Up
1. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 175 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
2. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 144 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.
3. TRX Chest Press
29.4 mSCORESWAPPED 126 TIMESTRX Chest Press is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of TRX straps adds more instability, and less restricted range of motion compared to other variations of the movement. Because the resistance can be adjusted by changing the angle of your body, this is a great exercise for burning out since you can easily adjust the resistance in the middle of your set.
4. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 102 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.
5. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 96 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
6. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 91 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
7. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 86 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
8. Decline Push Up
82.3 mSCORESWAPPED 83 TIMESDecline Push Up is a variation of the standard Push Up. This compound, bodyweight exercise primarily targets the chest and triceps, but places more emphasis on the upper chest and shoulders due to the inclined position of the feet. This is a great progression for those looking to make their Push Ups more challenging and to develop greater upper body strength.
- Intermediate
- Chest
- Flat Bench
9. Incline Push Up
77.2 mSCORESWAPPED 76 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.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Flat Bench
10. Dumbbell Larson Press
72.7 mSCORESWAPPED 76 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.