Contents
- 1 What Muscles Do Push ups Work
- 2 What muscles do different pushup variations work?
- 3 Muscles worked by diamond pushups
- 4 Muscles worked by incline pushups
- 5 Muscles worked by decline pushups
- 6 Muscles worked by pike pushups
- 7 Benefits of doing push-ups
- 8 How to modify a PUSH-UP
- 9 How many calories do push ups burn?
- 10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Muscles Do Push ups Work
This article is about What Muscles Do Push ups Work. If you are interested to know about What Muscles Do Push ups Work must read this article. The push up is a classic exercise that has held its ground as countless fitness trends have come and gone.
In this article, we look at which muscles pushups work . We also provide a guide to eight different types of pushup and some benefits of push-up.
What muscles do different pushup variations work?
Generally, all variations of push-up target a combination of muscles in your upper body, including:
- Biceps;
- Triceps;
- Pectorals;
- Deltoids;
- Upper and lower back muscles;
- Abdominals.
In addition, there are also many pushup variations that you can add to your workout routine.
Muscles worked by diamond pushups
Diamond pushups are variations in which you form a diamond with your thumbs and index fingers. Strengthens the upper body and core, with more focus on the triceps.
Directly beneath your upper chest makes diamond pushups great for targeting your:
- Triceps;
- Chest;
- Shoulders.
Diamond pushup tweaks for beginners: Before advancing to a full plank , Start on your knees .
Advanced diamond pushup tweaks: Diamond pushups are already fairly advanced, but you can make it even more challenging by holding your position on the decline for a few seconds before pushing back up.
Muscles worked by incline pushups
Incline push-ups with torso elevated is good for beginners; this is a slightly tougher push-up variant compared to knee and wall push-ups. Incline push-ups are performed with the hands positioned higher than the feet. This could be progressed by bringing the body closer to the ground.
The muscles most specifically targeted by incline pushups include:
- Chest;
- Core.
Incline pushup tweaks for beginners: Start on your knees, or use a moderate incline, like a smaller exercise box, before progressing to higher elevations.
Incline pushup tweaks for advanced exercisers: Bring your arms closer together beneath your chest to engage your triceps. You can also your core muscles, brace your hands on a stability ball to challenge
Muscles worked by decline pushups
Require you to keep your legs on a higher plane and hands on the floor. You can use a bench, a box, or any piece of furniture to do this push-up. This uses a greater percentage of the body weight so it is used for more advanced levels in training. The muscles worked by decline pushups include:
- Core;
- Shoulders;
- Chest;
- Arms.
Decline pushup tweaks for beginners: Decline pushups are an advanced exercise, so it’s important to master your regular pushup form to make sure you can keep your back straight throughout the exercise. When you’re ready to add a decline variation into your routine, start with a slight decline like a low box, or brace your shins against the elevated surface rather than your feet.
Decline pushup tweaks for advanced exercisers: Try bracing only one leg on your elevated surface to get your core even more involved.
Muscles worked by pike pushups
Strengthens the upper body and core , with more focus on the shoulders . Especially challenging for your Pike pushups are :
- Shoulders;
- Core.
Pike pushups for beginners: Start by perfecting your regular pushups, putting extra emphasis on your shoulders to ensure that they are strong enough to carry the weight during the pike. You can also prep by practicing Downward-Facing Dog and Dolphin Pose yoga moves.
Advanced pike pushups: Combine the pike with a decline pushup by placing your feet on an elevated surface.

Benefits of doing push-ups
From better posture to stronger bones, there are many research-backed benefits of doing push-ups. Here are seven reasons to consider adding this foundational exercise to your routine.
1. Push-ups target multiple muscle groups
It’s easy to think that push-ups are only good for your chest and arms. But compound exercise engages multiple muscle groups at once. When done correctly, push-ups work your:
- Chest (pectorals)
- Shoulders (deltoids)
- Arms (triceps and biceps)
- Back (latissimus dorsi and erector spinae)
- Stomach (abdominals)
- Hips (gluteals)
2. Improves upper-body strength
The push-up helps to engage your back muscle and helps you bulid a strength throughout the upper body. It targets the muscles in your chest (pectoralis major), arms (particularly the triceps) and shoulders (especially the scapular stabilising muscles).
3. Supports healthy ageing
Exercises like the wall push-up can help to maintain or even improve your level of strength as you age. Push up benefit almost every muscle of the body – be it your biceps , core muscles, triceps or lower body muscle groups.
How to modify a PUSH-UP
You might not be able to drop down and crank out 20 push-ups right away, and that’s completely fine. There are push-up modifications you can do to help you work up to a traditional push-up. Those include:
Knee push-ups : Start of all fours on the ground and move into a modified plank position , with hands slightly wider than shoulders and keens on your ground.
Angled PUSH-UPS: The incline position primarily works your chest muscles, but you’ll also need to engage your core muscles to protect your back.
WALL PUSH-UPS : Wall push-ups are compound exercises that activate multiple muscle groups across the upper body. This version builds upper-body strength by activating the anterior deltoids, pectoral muscles, triceps, and more.
How many calories do push ups burn?
In general, the benefits of push ups every day include burning about seven calories per minute. However, the number of calories burned depends on:
- Weight: People with more muscles burn more calories
- Age: Muscle mass is less in older people, which slows the calorie-burning process
- Gender: Men have less fat and more muscle, so they lose more calories
- Intensity: Doing more push ups and higher intensity push ups helps you burn more calories
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. WHAT DO WIDE PUSH UPS WORK?
Answer : Wide push-ups put more emphasis on the outer chest and triceps muscles to a greater extent than standard push-ups . If you’re someone who feels when doing regular pushups, try wide pushups.
2. WILL PUSH UPS BUILD MUSCLE?
Answer : Absolutely Push ups build muscle, so long as you perform them in the 5-30 rep scheme.
3. SHOULD YOU DO PUSHUPS EVERYDAY?
Answer : No, you should not do pushups every day. Building strength and size is all about stimulus (workout) followed by recovery (rest). your risk of injury goes up, and your results go down, Without enough rest and recovery.
4. DO PUSH UP WORK BACK MUSCLES?
Answer : No, pushups do not work your back muscles. Pushups work your pecs, delts and triceps. To work your back, recommend exercises like as pull-ups, pull-downs, seated rows and barbell rows.
5. How to increase the number of push ups you can do?
Answer : Here are few effective ways to increase the number of push ups you can do:
- Maintain proper posture.
- Take a break between sets.
- Keep track of your workouts so you can see how far you’ve come.
- To avoid boredom, mix up your workouts.
- Include other upper-body exercises in your workout.
- Practice frequently.
- Rest days should not be overlooked.
- If you feel any discomfort, stop.
6. What are the benefits of Push-ups?
Answer :The benefits of Push-ups including:
- Burning calories
- Protecting your shoulders and lower back from injuries
- Improving your balance and posture
- Improving your flexibility
- Improving your performance in sports and athletic activities