Elevated Pike Push-Up: Technique, Benefits, and Progression

How to do Elevated Pike Push-Up?

The elevated pike push-up is an advanced bodyweight exercise designed to build significant strength in the shoulders and triceps, serving as a crucial progression towards mastering the handstand push-up.

What is an Elevated Pike Push-Up?

The elevated pike push-up is a calisthenics exercise that targets the pushing muscles of the upper body, with a particular emphasis on the deltoids (shoulders) and triceps brachii. It is a variation of the standard pike push-up, where the feet are placed on an elevated surface (like a box, bench, or sturdy chair) to increase the angle of the body, thereby shifting more of the load onto the shoulders and mimicking the mechanics of an overhead press more closely than a traditional push-up. This exercise is an excellent stepping stone for individuals aiming to develop the strength and stability required for more advanced inverted movements, such as the handstand push-up.

Muscles Worked

The elevated pike push-up is a compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, primarily focusing on the upper body pressing chain.

• Primary Movers:
  • Anterior Deltoid: The front part of the shoulder, heavily involved in the pressing motion.
  • Medial Deltoid: The side part of the shoulder, also significantly engaged, particularly as the load increases with elevation.
  • Triceps Brachii: The muscle at the back of the upper arm, crucial for extending the elbow during the upward push.
• Stabilizers:
  • Trapezius (Upper and Middle): Supports the neck and shoulders, aiding in scapular stability.
  • Serratus Anterior: Helps protract the scapula and stabilize the shoulder blade against the rib cage.
  • Rotator Cuff Muscles: Small muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, providing stability and control.
  • Core Muscles (Rectus Abdominis, Obliques, Erector Spinae): Essential for maintaining a rigid, straight torso and preventing the lower back from arching.
  • Glutes and Quadriceps: Contribute to overall body rigidity and stability in the pike position.

Benefits of the Elevated Pike Push-Up

Incorporating the elevated pike push-up into your routine offers several significant advantages for strength development and athletic performance:

• Increased Shoulder Strength and Hypertrophy: By increasing the load on the shoulders, this exercise effectively builds strength and muscle mass in the deltoids, particularly the anterior and medial heads.
• Triceps Development: The triceps are heavily engaged in the elbow extension, leading to enhanced strength and size in the back of the arms.
• Progressive Overload for Bodyweight Training: It provides a scalable progression from easier push-up variations, allowing for continuous strength gains without external weights.
• Improved Core Stability: Maintaining the inverted 'V' position with elevated feet demands significant core engagement, enhancing static strength and stability.
• Foundation for Advanced Calisthenics: It directly translates to the strength and control required for handstand push-ups, handstands, and other inverted movements.
• Enhanced Proprioception and Body Control: The inverted nature of the exercise improves body awareness and coordination.
• Better Overhead Pressing Mechanics: The movement pattern closely mimics an overhead press, improving the strength and technique for barbell or dumbbell overhead presses.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Executing the elevated pike push-up correctly is crucial for maximizing its benefits and minimizing injury risk.

• Preparation:
  1. Select Your Elevation: Choose a sturdy, non-slip surface such as a weight bench, plyometric box, or a robust chair. The higher the elevation, the more challenging the exercise.
  2. Initial Setup: Begin in a plank position with your feet placed securely on the elevated surface.
  3. Assume the Pike Position: Walk your hands backward towards the elevated surface until your hips are directly stacked over your shoulders. Your body should form an inverted 'V' shape, with your legs straight and core engaged. Keep your gaze directed towards your feet or between your hands.
  4. Hand Placement: Place your hands shoulder-width apart, with fingers spread wide and pointing forward. Ensure your wrists are strong and engaged.
• Execution:
  1. Lowering Phase (Eccentric): Inhale slowly as you bend your elbows, lowering the top of your head towards the floor. Aim to touch the crown of your head lightly between or slightly in front of your hands, forming a triangular shape with your head and hands. Keep your elbows tracking backward and slightly out, avoiding excessive flaring. Maintain the pike position, keeping your hips high and core tight throughout the descent.
  2. Pressing Phase (Concentric): Exhale powerfully as you press through your palms and extend your elbows, pushing your body back up to the starting inverted 'V' position. Focus on driving through your shoulders and triceps to achieve full lockout at the top.
  3. Repeat: Perform for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining strict form.
• Common Mistakes:
  • Flaring Elbows Excessively: This puts undue stress on the shoulder joint and reduces triceps engagement. Keep elbows tracking somewhat inline with the body.
  • Arched Lower Back: Losing core tension and allowing the lower back to arch can lead to spinal strain. Keep the core braced and glutes squeezed.
  • Not Maintaining the Pike: If your hips drop too low, the exercise becomes more like a standard push-up, reducing the shoulder focus. Hips must stay high and stacked.
  • Incomplete Range of Motion: Not lowering the head sufficiently or not fully extending the arms at the top limits muscle activation and strength gains.
  • Head Too Far Forward/Backward: Ensure the crown of your head is the point of contact, not your forehead or face.

Proper Form and Technique Tips

Mastering the elevated pike push-up relies on attention to detail in your form:

• Keep Hips High: The primary goal is to keep your hips elevated and stacked directly over your shoulders throughout the entire movement. This maximizes the vertical pressing angle and shoulder engagement.
• Control the Descent: Lower yourself slowly and with control. The eccentric (lowering) phase is crucial for building strength and preventing injury.
• Maintain a Neutral Spine: Avoid excessive arching or rounding of your lower back. Engage your core and glutes to create a rigid torso.
• Engage Glutes and Quads: Squeezing your glutes and tensing your quadriceps will help maintain overall body rigidity and prevent your legs from sagging.
• Press Through Palms: Imagine pushing the floor away from you, driving force through the heels of your hands.
• Gaze Direction: Your gaze should be directed towards your feet or slightly between your hands on the floor.

How to Progress and Regress

The elevated pike push-up is part of a continuum of pushing exercises. Understanding how to modify it allows for tailored training.

• Regressions:
  • Pike Push-Up (Feet on Floor): This is the immediate regression, performed with feet on the floor, reducing the elevation and the load on the shoulders.
  • Kneeling Pike Push-Up: For those who find the feet-on-floor pike push-up too challenging, kneeling allows for further reduction of bodyweight load.
  • Incline Push-Up: While not a direct pike variation, incline push-ups build foundational pushing strength that can aid in progression towards pike push-ups.
• Progressions:
  • Increase Elevation: Gradually increase the height of the surface your feet are on. This increases the angle and the proportion of bodyweight your shoulders must lift.
  • Decline Handstand Push-Up (Wall-Assisted): Once comfortable with high elevation pike push-ups, move to placing your feet against a wall, allowing for a more vertical body position and full inversion.
  • Negative Handstand Push-Up: Focus solely on the slow, controlled lowering phase of a handstand push-up (wall-assisted), then reset and repeat.
  • Handstand Push-Up (Wall-Assisted or Freestanding): The ultimate progression, requiring full body control and significant overhead strength.
  • Add Resistance: For advanced individuals, a weight vest or resistance bands can be used to increase the intensity of elevated pike push-ups.

Who Should Do Elevated Pike Push-Ups?

This exercise is suitable for a range of individuals looking to enhance their upper body strength and calisthenics abilities:

• Fitness Enthusiasts: Seeking challenging bodyweight exercises to build strength and muscle.
• Personal Trainers and Coaches: Incorporating this into client programs for shoulder development and progression towards advanced skills.
• Student Kinesiologists: Understanding the biomechanics and progressions of bodyweight movements.
• Athletes: Particularly those involved in sports requiring overhead strength (e.g., gymnastics, CrossFit, wrestling, strongman).
• Individuals Preparing for Handstand Push-Ups: This is a critical stepping stone in the handstand push-up progression.

Safety Considerations and When to Avoid

While beneficial, the elevated pike push-up requires attention to safety to prevent injury.

• Warm-up Thoroughly: Always begin with a comprehensive warm-up, including dynamic stretches for the shoulders, wrists, and core.
• Listen to Your Body: If you experience any sharp pain, especially in your shoulders, wrists, or neck, stop the exercise immediately.
• Wrist Health: This exercise places significant strain on the wrists. Ensure proper wrist mobility and strength. Consider using parallettes if wrist discomfort is an issue.
• Shoulder Impingement: Individuals with a history of shoulder impingement or other shoulder pathologies should exercise caution or consult with a healthcare professional before attempting this exercise.
• Neck Strain: Ensure your head movement is controlled and that you're not jamming your neck into the floor. The crown of your head should be the point of contact, not your face or forehead.
• Avoid if: You have acute pain in your shoulders, wrists, or neck; uncontrolled blood pressure (due to the inverted position and increased head pressure); or balance issues that could lead to a fall.

Conclusion

The elevated pike push-up is a highly effective and versatile bodyweight exercise for developing robust shoulder and triceps strength. By understanding its mechanics, adhering to proper form, and applying progressive overload principles, individuals can significantly enhance their upper body pressing capabilities and lay a solid foundation for more advanced calisthenics feats, such as the handstand push-up. Integrate this powerful exercise into your routine to unlock new levels of strength and body control.