The push-up is a great exercise that can be used to build upper body strength in your arms, shoulders, and chest. It’s also a great way to tone your core muscles, so if you want to get that 6-pack, doing push-ups is one of the best ways to do it
In fact, according to research from the American College of Sports Medicine, push-ups can improve upper body strength by as much as 30%.
But if you’re an intermediate exerciser looking to take your push-ups to the next level, these 11 variations can help you achieve even better results.
The regular push-up
If you want to build upper body strength, the push-up is a great place to start. This exercise works your chest, triceps, and shoulders, and it’s one of the most effective ways to build upper body strength.
To perform a push-up:
1. Get into plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and your feet hip-width apart.
2. Bend your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor.
3. Push back up until your arms are straight again before lowering yourself to the starting position.
My top 11 favorite push-ups for intermediates for building upper body strength:
1. Knee Pendulum Push Up
2. Inchworm Push Up
3. Staggered Push Up
4. Dive bomber Push Up
5. Spiderman Push Up
6. Mountain Climber Push Up
7. Archer Push Up
8. Pendulum Plank Push Up
9. Pike Push Up
10. In & Out Push Up
11. Shoulder-Tap Push-Up.
So, let’s get started!
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1. Knee Pendulum Push-Ups
Knee pendulum push-ups are a great way to work your core, shoulders, triceps, and back.
They also help with balance, coordination, and flexibility.
If you’re looking for an exercise that works multiple parts of your body at once then this is one for you to try out!
If you’re new to this exercise, start with just a few repetitions and build up as you get stronger.
How to do it:
- Get down on your knees with your hands on the floor in front of you and your legs straight behind you.
- Lean your body to one side as you place more weight through on one arm, then bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor.
- As you do this lean your upper body back to the center, the angle of your arms away from your body should be at 45 degrees.
- Once your elbows bend slightly beyond 90 degrees push up to the floor to straighten your elbows and lean in the opposite direction with the upper body.
2. Inchworm Push-Up
Photo Source: Square Box Fitness
Inchworm push-ups are a great way to build strength and endurance in your upper body. They work your chest, shoulders, back, and arm muscles.
Inchworm push-ups also help improve your balance, flexibility, and coordination. They are great for people who have trouble with balance or stability because they require you to walk your hands forward on the floor to reach the top position.
The inchworm push-up is also a good exercise for those with shoulder injuries because it keeps the shoulder joint stable during movement which reduces stress on the joint capsule.
How to do it:
- Stand tall, then hinge from your hips and bring your hands to the floor. Walk your hands out until you’re in a high plank position, and your body is in a strong, straight line from head to heels.
- Lower your body to the floor into a push-up.
- Walk your hands back to start, keeping your legs straight, and return to standing, then repeat.
3. Staggered Push-Ups
Photo Source: Leap Fitness
Staggered Push-Ups are a great way to get an awesome upper-body workout.
You’ll be working your chest, arms, and core all at once, which means you’ll be getting a ton of bang for your buck.
If you don’t have access to weights or equipment, this is a great way to build muscle and strength without them.
How to do it:
- Get on the floor with your feet hip-width apart and hands shoulder-width apart.
- Now, stagger your hands by placing your right hand forward and left hand back. This is the starting position.
- Lower yourself towards the floor into a push-up, pause for a second, then lift yourself into the starting position. Alternate hands.
4. Dive bomber Push-Ups
Photo Source: Yuri Elkaim
Dive bomber Push-Ups are an incredible way to build upper body strength and explosive power.
They work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles. They also improve your balance and coordination.
Dive bomber Push-Ups are also a great way to improve your sports performance by increasing your explosiveness.
How to do it:
- Get on all fours on the floor with your feet hip-width apart and hands shoulder-width apart. Push your hips up as high as possible so that you resemble an inverted V. Keep your back flat with your arms and legs straight but your knees unlocked. You should be up on your toes. This is your start position (this is the Pike push-up starting position).
- As you lower your hips, keep your legs straight but allow your arms to bend as you push forward so that your chest nearly grazes the floor like a dive bomber.
- Press back through your hands to full arm extension and repeat for the required number of reps.
- Curve your back and extend your arms without locking out; your face should be looking forward to the top. Hold for a count and reverse direction, pushing your hips up so that you’re back in a Pike push-up.
- Repeat for the required number of reps.
5. Spiderman Push-Ups
Photo Source: Freeletics
Spiderman Push-Ups are great for helping you build upper body strength and endurance. The push-up is a great exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and back muscles.
It also works to improve posture by improving alignment and range of motion in your spine.
How to do it:
- Start in a full plank position with your hands on the floor, shoulders directly above your wrists, legs straight, and core engaged.
- Keeping your back straight, lower yourself to the floor into a push-up while bringing one knee toward your elbow, hold for a second; then return to starting position and repeat with the opposite leg.
6. Mountain Climber Push-ups
Photo Source: Prevention.com
Mountain Climber Push-ups are one of the most effective exercises for building up your upper body, improving your posture, and keeping your heart rate up.
This exercise is a great way to build up strength in your arms, shoulders, and chest. The push-up part of the exercise works out the chest muscles while the mountain climber part works out the abs, hips, and thighs.
Mountain Climber Push-ups also help improve your posture by strengthening the muscles in your back and shoulders. The more stable you are, the better you look!
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Make sure your wrists are directly under your shoulders and engage your core.
- Perform a push-up by lowering yourself down until your chest touches the floor, then push back up.
- Now, bend your right knee toward your chest, extend the right leg back to starting position, and repeat on the left side. Do 6 reps (3 for each leg).
- Perform again a push-up, back to the starting position, and perform again 6 Mountain climbers.
- Repeat for the required number of reps.
7. Archer Push-Ups
Photo Source: Masterclass
Archer Push-Ups are an awesome way to develop strength and stability in your shoulders, arms, and core.
They’re also great for improving balance and coordination.
If you’re looking for a new challenge or a way to spice up your workouts, the Archer Push-Up is an excellent choice.
How to do it:
- Start in a regular push-up position with your arms wider than shoulder-width. Keep the body in a straight line.
- Bring the body down on the right side by bending the right elbow and straightening the left arm out to the left side, then come back up and into the middle
- Lower the body on the left side by bending the left elbow and straightening the right arm out to the right side.
8. Pendulum Plank Push-Ups
Photo Source: Fitain
If you’re looking to get stronger, more flexible, and more toned, Pendulum Plank Push-Ups are the way to go.
They’re a full-body workout that will help you build muscle in your arms, chest, shoulders, back, abs, and glutes. And if you work up to doing them fast enough, they even double as cardio!
How to do it:
- Start in a plank position, your body should be straight from head to toe. You can have your hands on the floor under your shoulders or slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- From this position, move your body to the right by moving your hands to the right, clockwise, one at a time, 4 times (about 90 degrees), then go down in a push-up, and return to the initial position, then move your body back to the starting position.
- Now, repeat the movement in the opposite direction, after which you return to the starting position.
9. Pike Push Ups
Photo Source: A Lean Life
Pike Push Ups are one of the best exercises you can do to build upper body strength, and they also help improve your posture.
The pike push-up is a very challenging exercise that will help you develop more powerful triceps and shoulders. The pike push-up also helps improve your posture by strengthening your abs, lower back, and glutes.
If you want to build muscle mass in your upper body, then this exercise is perfect for you!
How to do it:
- Start in a push-up position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your feet together on the floor.
- Engage your abs and glutes as you raise into a pike position. Make sure that your hips are high in the air and that your lower back is not rounded or arched too much.
- Lower back down until your chest touches the floor, then push back up again into the pike position before coming back down again.
10. In & Out Push Ups
Photo Source: HIIT Academy
In & Out Push Ups is an amazing way to get your upper body in shape. Not only do they strengthen your chest and shoulders, but they also help to tone your abs.
In & Out Push Ups are a great way to add variety and intensity to your existing push-up routine. They work your arms too, so they’re also great for improving overall physical fitness and health.
How to do it:
- Starting in a regular push-up position, lower the body until the elbows are bent 90 degrees and the chest is one to two inches from the ground.
- Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground. While in the air, bring the hands slightly in and back landing in a close-grip push-up position, lowering down smoothly.
- Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground again and widening the grip again to go back into a regular push-up.
11. Shoulder-Tap Push-Ups
Photo Source: The Optimal You
The push-up is an effective exercise for developing upper body strength, building muscle mass, and strengthening the chest, triceps, deltoids, and core muscles of the body.
It’s also great for improving posture and balance as well as burning calories.
How to do it:
- Start in the standard push-up position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your feet about hip-width apart.
- Perform a push-up, then as you come up from the movement, lift one hand off the ground and tap the opposite shoulder.
- Lower yourself back to the ground, and just switch the hand and tap the other shoulder.
- Continue alternating between hands until you’ve completed all reps.
Last Thoughts:
While push-up is often considered an exercise for beginners, it is still a worthy workout for intermediate and advanced fitness enthusiasts.
It can be easily modified to accommodate anyone’s fitness level, and yet it remains one of the most effective upper body exercises.
A ton of variations have been invented to challenge different muscles or target specific areas of the upper body, so there are plenty of ways to customize your exercise routine. Each variation attracts muscle fibers differently and provides a different training stimulus.
I’ve given you a complete list of the top 11 push-up variations that can help you build upper body strength. There are many other versions and advanced variations that you could experiment with, but these 11 will give you solid upper-body strength training.
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