The decline pushup is an advanced bodyweight exercise that involves elevating the feet above the hands, creating a downward angle for the body. This mechanical adjustment significantly increases the percentage of body weight that must be pressed, making the movement more challenging than a standard pushup. The purpose of this variation is to increase pressing strength and to shift the training stimulus toward specific upper-body musculature.
Setup and Starting Position
Select a stable elevated surface for your feet, such as a sturdy bench, box, or step. For beginners, the height should be low to moderate, typically starting with 6 to 12 inches of elevation. Ensure the surface is secure and will not slip or collapse.
Kneel down with your back to the elevation, then place your hands on the floor roughly shoulder-width apart, with fingers pointing straight ahead. Position your hands directly underneath your shoulders to create a stable base. Carefully place the balls of your feet onto the elevated surface, extending your legs fully to lock into the starting position.
The body must form a perfectly straight line from the crown of your head down through your heels, mimicking a rigid plank. Actively brace your abdominal muscles and squeeze your glutes to establish this strong, static posture. This alignment must be maintained throughout the entire movement.
Executing the Movement with Proper Form
With the core and glutes engaged, the movement begins with the eccentric, or lowering, phase, performed under slow and deliberate control. Initiate the descent by bending your elbows, ensuring they track backward at approximately a 45-degree angle relative to your torso. Avoid flaring the elbows out to a 90-degree “T” shape, as this places undue stress on the shoulder joint.
Continue lowering your body until your chest is within an inch or two of the floor, or until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the ground. Maintain a neutral neck position by looking at a spot on the floor just in front of your hands, keeping your spine naturally aligned. The entire body must move as a single unit, preventing the hips from either sagging or piking upward.
The concentric, or pressing, phase involves forcefully pushing through the palms to extend the elbows and return to the starting position. Common errors include allowing the hips to sag as fatigue sets in, shifting the load away from the chest and core. Another mistake is a partial range of motion, limiting muscle engagement. Press back up fully until the elbows are extended, but stop just short of locking them out to maintain tension.
Muscle Focus and Training Effects
The primary biomechanical effect of the decline pushup is the increased load placed on the upper body due to the downward angle. Elevating the feet forces a greater percentage of your total body weight onto the hands compared to a flat pushup. This mechanical shift makes the exercise more difficult and alters the muscular emphasis.
This elevated position directly targets the clavicular head of the Pectoralis Major, commonly known as the upper chest. The angle of the press is similar to an incline bench press, preferentially activating these fibers. The Anterior Deltoids (front shoulder muscles) are also recruited more intensely to assist the chest in the pressing motion.
The Triceps Brachii, the muscles at the back of the upper arm, receive a substantial training effect as they are responsible for extending the elbows against the increased resistance. While standard pushups distribute the load more evenly across the entire pectoral muscle, the decline variation provides a focused method to develop the upper chest and front shoulders.
Modifications for Difficulty
The decline pushup is highly adaptable, allowing for precise adjustments to match an individual’s current strength level. To regress the exercise, decrease the height of the elevated surface. Using a low platform that raises the feet only a few inches reduces the overall body weight load, allowing the user to practice correct form and build foundational strength.
To progress the exercise and increase the difficulty, increase the elevation height of the feet. Placing the feet on a surface closer to waist height or higher will steepen the angle, demanding more force from the pressing muscles. Adding external resistance, such as a weighted vest or a weight plate placed across the upper back, is also an effective progression.
Advanced modifications incorporate instability or unilateral work to challenge the core and stabilizing muscles. Performing the decline pushup with the hands on suspension straps or stability balls forces the trunk muscles to work harder to maintain the straight-line body position. Lifters can also perform single-leg decline pushups, lifting one foot off the elevated surface to shift weight and demand greater stabilization.