What muscles are primarily worked during a pike push up?

The pike push up primarily targets the anterior and medial deltoids (shoulders) and the triceps brachii, with significant contribution from core muscles, upper trapezius, and serratus anterior as stabilizers.

What are the key benefits of incorporating pike push ups into training?

Benefits include enhanced shoulder strength and hypertrophy, improved core stability, increased proprioception and body control, and serving as a fundamental progression for advanced overhead movements like handstand push ups.

How can I ensure proper form when doing a pike push up?

To ensure proper form, maintain an inverted "V" shape with hips elevated, lower the crown of your head towards the floor while keeping elbows tucked, and push powerfully through your hands and shoulders.

What are some common mistakes to avoid during a pike push up?

Common mistakes include excessively flaring elbows, letting hips sag, shrugging shoulders, insufficient range of motion, and looking forward instead of maintaining a neutral head position.

How can I make pike push ups easier or harder?

To make them easier, try kneeling pike push ups or elevated hands. To make them harder, use elevated feet, deficit pike push ups, or progress towards wall-assisted handstand push ups.

What Is a Pike Push Up?

What is a Pike Push Up?

The pike push up is a foundational bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and triceps, serving as a critical stepping stone towards more advanced overhead pressing movements like the handstand push up.

Understanding the Pike Push Up

The pike push up is a calisthenics exercise that positions the body in an inverted "V" shape, with the hips elevated and the head pointed towards the floor. Unlike a traditional push up that emphasizes the chest, the pike push up shifts the mechanical advantage to the shoulders, specifically the anterior and medial deltoids, along with the triceps. It effectively simulates an overhead press using only bodyweight, making it an excellent exercise for developing upper body strength and preparing for more complex gymnastic-style movements.

Muscles Worked

The pike push up is a compound exercise, engaging multiple muscle groups, but primarily focuses on the muscles responsible for overhead pressing.

Primary Movers:
- Anterior Deltoid: The front head of the shoulder muscle, heavily engaged in the pressing motion.
- Medial Deltoid: The side head of the shoulder, contributing to the overall shoulder strength and stability.
- Triceps Brachii: The muscle on the back of the upper arm, responsible for elbow extension during the push.
Stabilizers:
- Upper Trapezius: Supports the neck and shoulders, especially during the top portion of the movement.
- Serratus Anterior: Helps protract the scapulae and stabilize the shoulder blade against the rib cage.
- Core Musculature (Rectus Abdominis, Obliques): Essential for maintaining the rigid pike position and preventing the hips from sagging.
- Glutes and Hamstrings: Work isometrically to keep the legs straight and the hips elevated.

Benefits of Incorporating Pike Push Ups

Integrating pike push ups into your training regimen offers several distinct advantages for strength, stability, and body control.

Enhanced Shoulder Strength and Hypertrophy: Provides a direct, effective stimulus for building strength and muscle mass in the deltoids, crucial for overall upper body development.
Improved Core Stability: The sustained pike position demands significant engagement from the abdominal and oblique muscles, strengthening the core's ability to stabilize the torso under load.
Increased Proprioception and Body Control: Performing the exercise in an inverted position enhances body awareness and control, which is vital for athletic performance and injury prevention.
Gateway to Advanced Movements: It is a fundamental progression towards the handstand and handstand push up, building the requisite strength and confidence in an inverted plane.
Accessible and Versatile: As a bodyweight exercise, it requires no equipment, making it highly accessible for home workouts or when gym access is limited.

Proper Execution: Step-by-Step Guide

Executing the pike push up with correct form is paramount to maximizing its benefits and minimizing injury risk.

Starting Position:
- Begin in a push-up position, then walk your feet closer to your hands, lifting your hips high towards the ceiling.
- Your body should form an inverted "V" shape. Keep your legs as straight as possible, even if your heels lift off the floor.
- Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with fingers splayed for stability, pointing forward or slightly outward.
- Ensure your head is in a neutral position, looking back between your feet, aligning your spine.
Descent (Eccentric Phase):
- Bend at your elbows, lowering the crown of your head towards the floor. Aim to touch the top of your head to the ground between or slightly in front of your hands.
- Keep your elbows tracking backward or slightly out, in line with your shoulders, avoiding excessive flaring.
- Maintain the pike position throughout the descent, resisting the urge to let your hips sag.
Ascent (Concentric Phase):
- Push powerfully through your hands and shoulders, extending your elbows to return to the starting pike position.
- Focus on driving your shoulders upwards, emphasizing the contraction of your deltoids and triceps.
- Exhale as you push back up.
Breathing: Inhale on the way down (eccentric phase), exhale on the way up (concentric phase).

Common Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Even experienced individuals can fall into common form traps. Awareness and correction are key.

Flaring Elbows Excessively: This puts undue stress on the shoulder joint and can lead to impingement.
- Correction: Tuck your elbows slightly, aiming for them to track more backward than directly out to the sides, forming roughly a 45-degree angle with your torso.
Sagging Hips/Loss of Pike: Reduces the load on the shoulders and can strain the lower back.
- Correction: Actively engage your core and glutes, pushing your hips higher towards the ceiling throughout the movement. Imagine a string pulling your hips skyward.
Shrugging Shoulders: Elevating the shoulders towards the ears reduces deltoid activation and can strain the neck.
- Correction: Keep your shoulders "packed" down and back. Maintain a stable shoulder girdle throughout the exercise.
Insufficient Range of Motion: Only lowering the head a small distance, limiting muscle activation.
- Correction: Strive to touch the crown of your head to the floor (or a yoga block/towel for a controlled deficit). Focus on a full, controlled descent.
Looking Forward: This can strain the neck and compromise spinal alignment.
- Correction: Keep your head neutral, looking towards your feet or between your arms, maintaining a straight line from your head to your hips.

Progressions and Regressions

The pike push up offers excellent versatility through modifications, allowing it to be adapted for various strength levels.

Regressions (Easier Variations):
- Kneeling Pike Push Up: Perform the pike position with knees on the ground, reducing the amount of bodyweight supported by the shoulders.
- Elevated Hands Pike Push Up: Place your hands on an elevated surface (e.g., sturdy box, step, parallettes). This reduces the range of motion and the angle of the press, making it easier.
- Reduced Range of Motion: Use a yoga block or a stack of towels under your head to limit the depth of the descent, gradually decreasing the height as strength improves.
Progressions (Harder Variations):
- Elevated Feet Pike Push Up: Place your feet on an elevated surface (e.g., bench, chair). The higher the elevation, the more bodyweight is shifted to the shoulders, increasing difficulty.
- Deficit Pike Push Up: Perform the exercise with your hands on parallettes or blocks, allowing your head to descend further than the hand level, increasing the range of motion.
- Wall-Assisted Handstand Push Up: Lean against a wall in a handstand position and perform the push up. This is the direct next step, introducing full inversion.
- Freestanding Handstand Push Up: The ultimate bodyweight overhead press, requiring significant strength, balance, and control.

Integrating Pike Push Ups into Your Training

Pike push ups can be a valuable addition to various fitness routines, depending on your goals.

Warm-up: Light sets can activate the shoulders and prepare them for more intense pressing movements.
Strength Training: Incorporate 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions as a primary shoulder exercise on upper body or full-body days.
Skill Work: For those aiming for handstands or handstand push ups, dedicate specific sessions to perfecting the pike push up technique and building volume.
Frequency: Allow for adequate recovery. Training pike push ups 2-3 times per week, with at least one rest day between sessions, is generally effective for strength development.

When to Consult a Professional

While generally safe and effective, it's advisable to consult with a qualified fitness professional or physical therapist if you experience:

Persistent pain in your shoulders, neck, or wrists during or after the exercise.
Significant difficulty maintaining proper form despite modifications and guidance.
Pre-existing conditions, injuries, or limitations that might be exacerbated by overhead pressing movements.

A professional can assess your individual needs, provide personalized form corrections, and recommend appropriate modifications or alternative exercises to ensure safe and effective training.

Pike Push Up: Understanding, Benefits, Proper Form, and Progressions