How to Do Pike Push Ups: 13 Steps
Pike push-ups are an excellent bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your shoulders, triceps, and upper back muscles. Incorporating pike push-ups into your workout routine can help you increase shoulder strength and mobility. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do pike push-ups correctly:
1. Find a clear space: Choose a flat surface that provides enough room for you to move throughout the exercise comfortably.
2. Warm up: Perform some light stretching or dynamic warm-up exercises to prepare your muscles for the workout.
3. Position yourself: Start in a regular push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, and your feet hip-width apart.
4. Lift hips: Slowly lift your hips towards the ceiling while keeping your legs and arms straight, forming an inverted V shape with your body.
5. Adjust angle: Lower your head between your hands while maintaining the inverted V shape to ensure you are targeting the right muscles during the exercise.
6. Brace core: Engage your core muscles by drawing your belly button towards your spine.
7. Lower yourself: Slowly bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground, keeping it in line with your hands.
8. Maintain form: Make sure to keep your hips high and back straight throughout the movement.
9. Pause briefly: Once your head is just above the ground, hold this position for a brief moment.
10. Push up: Use your shoulders and arms to lift yourself back into the starting inverted V position, keeping tension in the upper body throughout the lift.
11. Control breathing: Inhale as you lower yourself down and exhale when pushing back up, maintaining a steady rhythm throughout the exercise.
12. Repeat: Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 reps per set, gradually increasing reps or adding more sets as you get stronger.
13. Cool down: Stretch your shoulders, triceps, and upper body to alleviate muscle tension and aid recovery after the exercise.
Incorporate these pike push-ups into your workout routine to develop stronger shoulders, better upper body balance, and increased overall strength. As you progress, you can experiment with variations such as elevating your feet on a step or using parallettes to increase the range of motion.