20 Different Variations Of Push Up For Beginner To Experts

This push-up variation may be the most beginner-friendly on this list. It can be done by anybody new to push-ups without pain or discomfort. A wall will provide more stability, ensuring an easier way to strengthen those upper body muscles.

Steps To Do:

• Place both hands on a wall, lining with the shoulders.
• Keep the feet firmly on the ground.
• Retract the scapula in order to activate the latissimus dorsi muscle.
• Bend the elbows slowly and lean forward.
• Once the head comes close to the wall, retreat to the initial position.
• Continue this process for 20 reps.

Instead of a wall helping us do a push-up, the inclined variant features the support of an elevated platform like a box or step platform. A home item like chair, table, or bench can also work.

This position helps to decrease stress on the elbows and shoulder joints, making it a fairly easy variation to practice at home.

Steps To Do:

• The hands should be firmly placed on an elevated platform.
• The body should be inclined, with the heels off the ground. Start pushing the body down through bending the elbows. Feel the stretch in the chest muscles.
• When the chest nearly touches the platform's edge, return to the starting pose.
• Do this activity for 10 to 12 reps.

In a decline push up, our legs will be placed on an elevated platform, making it the opposite of the incline version. This position shifts the effort to our front delt and upper chest, making them work the hardest.

Steps To Do:

• Place both legs on top of the elevated platform like a box, chair, or bench.
• The arms should be fully extended and support the upper body weight. 
• Keep the legs, glutes, and back in a straight line.
• Slowly bend the elbows, pressing the body to the ground.
• Halt the process when the forehead approaches the floor.
• Continue this activity for desired number of reps.

This variation uses a wide hand placement during push-ups, engaging the serratus anterior more than the classic version. It also emphasizes stretching the outer chest and working the triceps.

Steps To Do:

• Get on the plank position on the ground while maintaining a straight back.
• The hands must be put wide apart from each other - this is the unique point of this variant.
• Take a deep breath, and start pushing the upper body down.
• Conduct the pushup in this stance for 10 to 12 reps.

How about we try putting our hands close to each other instead of going for a wide placement? This is also categorized as a beginner-level push-up variation that can strengthen our inner chest muscles. It is also a great triceps stretch to include in our workout routine.

Steps To Do:

• Place your hands close to each other while sitting in a plank pose.
• Ensure that the arms are fully extended. The back must be straight as well.
• Now, practice the push-ups in this close-grip stance. Feel a good stretch in the chest, upper back, and triceps.
• Perform this process for 20 reps.

Staggered push-ups are performed with uneven hand placements, creating the signature “staggered hands” look. This variation targets a broader chest area compared to traditional push-ups.

Since this workout shifts more load on a single arm per rep, it’s great practice for mastering the infamous one-handed push-up.

Steps To Do:

• Start in the plank pose, extending both arms fully, and keeping the back upright.
• Now, the left arm should be put forward while the right arm is placed back.
• Bend the elbows and go down, performing the push-up motions.
• The core will also get activated while doing the staggered push-ups.
• Continue this workout for 10 to 12 reps, then switch sides.

This variation is just like the close grip version, but the hands will be making a diamond shape on the ground. This workout primarily stretches the triceps effectively and also gives the delt and chest muscles some engagement.

Steps To Do:

• Make a diamond shape with your hands while staying in the plank pose.
• The arms should be straight and the heels must be off the floor.
• Inhale deeply, and start pressing the upper body toward the ground.
• When the chest touches the diamond-shaped hands, return to the original position.
• Practice the exercise for desired number of reps.

Do you want to perform a push-up with a reverse hand placement? This variant can be the answer to this matter. Doing a push-up with the palms facing the legs may be fascinating, but it can also be challenging for beginners.

Unlike the standard push-ups, this version targets the biceps brachii as well. Not many pushup variations can activate the bicep muscles.

Steps To Do:

• Get into the plank position, with the palms facing toward the legs.
• Place the hands a little wider apart for balance purposes.
• Slowly bend the elbows and lower the upper body without shifting the hand’s position.
• Perform the push ups for 10 to 12 reps.

To make push-ups more challenging, we can increase bodyweight resistance by lifting one leg during the exercise. This not only improves balance but also strengthens upper body muscles more effectively.

Doing this pushup type can also engage the quadriceps and glutes, making it one of the few variations that work the lower body as well.

Steps To Do:

• While staying in a plank pose, raise the right leg slightly off the ground.
• Do not raise them too high, as it could add extra stress on the arms.
• Now, start performing the usual push-ups while keeping the leg lifted.
• Ensure that the whole body is stabilized to avoid unnecessary injuries.
• Conduct this exercise for 10 reps, then switch to the other leg.

This variation has us swinging our body weight from side to side. Practicing this exercise helps prepare us for one-handed push-ups, as the movement trains us to shift our weight onto one arm.

If we want some extra challenge, the typewriter variation can also be followed, where we continue the side-to-side motion without returning to the starting pose.

Steps To Do:

• Get into the push-up position with the hands slightly wider apart.
• Now, lower to the left side while stretching the right arm. Bring the left shoulder close to the left hand.
• Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position.
• Repeat the same process for the right hand.
• Practice the archer push-ups by alternating sides for 10 to 12 reps each.

Practice this asymmetrical challenge with one hand raised on a bench while the other is on the floor. This is a great form of unilateral training, where one arm works harder and the other stabilizes.

Doing an uneven pushup could engage our chest and shoulder muscles better than the standard version. It is also fantastic for activating the core muscles.

Steps To Do:

• Place your body in a plank pose near a bench.
• The right arm should be placed on bench, while the left arm should be on the ground.
• Keeping the right arm stationary, lower the upper body.
• Feel the stretch in the delts and chest as you go down for a pushup.
• Press through the palms to return back to original position.
• Repeat this process for 5 to 7 reps.

If you want to ramp up the uneven push up’s intensity further, then perform this workout on a medicine ball instead of a solid bench. A medicine ball will add more stability issues, making the upper body muscles work harder to maintain balance and coordination.

Steps To Do:

• Place a medicine ball where your right arm would naturally rest during a plank pose.
• Gently put the right hand in the medicine ball.
• Ensure that the body remains stable as you shift your weight onto the ball.
• Conduct regular push-ups with slow, controlled momentum.
• Perform this workout for desired number of reps.

In this pushup variation, we will simply be tapping our shoulders between each rep. It may seem easy at first glance, but it could be hard if we do not have proper balance and coordination skills.

Steps To Do:

• Start by putting the body in the standard push-up pose.
• Bend the elbows and perform the regular push-up process.
• Once you return to the starting pose, tap your right shoulder with the left hand.
• Place the hand back on the floor.
• Continue the same process, alternating hands between each rep.
• Engage the core while tapping the shoulder to avoid unnecessary swaying.
• Do this activity for 10 to 12 reps.

Bear plank push-up is a unique variation that starts with hovering bent knees - this position is called the bear plank. This move primarily targets the chest and triceps.

While the limited range of motion may make it feel easy at first, maintaining balance during each rep can be quite a challenge.

Steps To Do:

• Get into a table top pose, with the hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
• Press the hands and feet to raise the knees a few inches from the floor. 
• Balance on your toes, keeping the knees hovering above the ground.
• Maintaining a straight back, lower your upper body to do the push-up move.
• Once the head nearly touches the floor, return to the original position.
• Practice this activity for 5 to 7 reps.

Practice the incline push up on a stability ball to ramp up the pressure on chest and arm muscles. The ball’s instability forces our body to work more to stabilize itself, making every rep challenging and effective.

Steps To Do:

• Both arms should be placed on a stability ball while staying in the plank position.
• Slowly push the body down toward the stability ball.
• Maintain the body’s stability while lowering the upper body.
• Hold for a few seconds when the chest reaches the stability ball.
• Practice this incline push up variant for 10 reps.

If we can successfully perform the incline pushups with a stability ball, then we must try the decline version. It could be quite hard since we have to balance our legs while constantly moving our upper body.

Steps To Do:

• Place a stability ball behind you. Get into the plank pose, resting your feet on the ball.
• The legs and back should be aligned in a straight line, with your hands supporting your entire body weight.
• Keeping the lower body stable, perform the usual push-ups.
• Perform the exercise with slow, controlled momentum to maintain proper balance.
• Bring the body back to the starting pose.
• Repeat for 10 to 12 reps.

Just as the name suggests, this push-up variation requires explosive power for successful clapping reps. This workout strengthens the twitch muscles, which are responsible for enhancing short bursts of power.

To increase the intensity, we can also practice double or triple claps. However, these are significantly more difficult and may need weeks of regular clapping push-ups practice.

Steps To Do:

• Get into position with the plank stance.
• Lower the body with the elbows bent to conduct the push-up.
• Once your chest approaches the floor, push upward with a powerful force.
• This force should make your hands leave the ground by certain inches.
• Now, bring your hands together and clap. This must be done quickly as the hands are needed for landing on the ground.
• Get back to the push-up motion, maintaining a straight back.
• Repeat this exercise for 10 reps.

Spiderman push-up is a challenging workout that requires us to bend the knee and bring it toward the elbow. It engages the oblique muscles along with the core, chest, and triceps.

Successfully doing the Spiderman push-ups also helps enhance balance. It also boosts the hip’s range of motion, making it a good hip mobility exercise.

Steps To Do:

• From the standard push-up position, bring the upper body down towards the floor.
• While lowering the body, bend the right knee at the same time.
• Bring the knee close to the right elbow, and attempt to touch it.
• Lift the body back up and conduct the same process for the left knee.
• Continue practicing this push-up variant for desired number of reps.

A resistance band could make our push-ups more difficult (but equally more effective) due to added resistance, especially at the top of the movement. This equipment forces the upper body muscles to work harder to push the body upward.

This equipment also maintains constant tension throughout the movement - a standard version will see their tension decrease once they reach the top.

Steps To Do:

• Grab a resistance band and wrap it around your upper back.
• Loop each end on your hands and then, get into a push-up stance.
• Feeling the tension in the band, lower the upper body slowly and steadily.
• Bring the head close to the ground, then raise the body upward.
• While lifting the body, feel the tension in the upper back and arm.
• Hold at the top of the push-up for a few seconds.
• Conduct the resistance band push-up for 10 reps.

This push-up is considered the ultimate feat of athleticism and is the most difficult variation on this list. A person who can do multiple reps of one-handed push-ups has fantastic stability and upper body strength.

Steps To Do:

• Start from the regular push-up position.
• Now, raise the left arm and place it behind your back.
• Keep the right arm stationary and fully extended.
• Bend the right elbow slowly and perform the push-up.
• When the chest nearly touches the floor, press through your palm to push back up.
• Perform this workout for desired number of reps.