
How to do the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)
- Lie on the floor face down and body straight with your toes on the floor and the hands wider than shoulder width for a wide hand position and closer than shoulder width for a close hand position. Make sure you are holding your torso up at arms length.
- Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
- Using your pectoral muscles, press your upper body back up to the starting position and squeeze your chest. Breathe out as you perform this step.
- After a second pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscles |
|---|---|
| Primary | chest |
| Secondary | shoulders, triceps |
| Equipment | no equipment |
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Type | compound |
Train the same muscles a different way
6 alternatives for the same chest, with and without kit.
Harder than the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)
Superset the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) with
Opposing lats and middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.
Common questions
What muscles does the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) work?
The Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) primarily works the chest, with the shoulders and triceps as secondary movers. Alternating Floor Press, Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip, and Barbell Guillotine Bench Press train the same muscle, across 11 equipment types.
What equipment do you need for the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)?
None — the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. Alternating Floor Press and Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip also need nothing.
Is the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) suitable for beginners?
Yes, the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) is rated beginner. Plyo Kettlebell Pushups, Flat Bench Cable Flyes, and Incline Cable Flye are the progressions from here.
Where should the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) go in a workout?
Early — the Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions) is compound, working 3 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Chin-Up and Inverted Row later.
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