Push Up Variations To Work Your Chest & Core

To prevent yourself from getting bored of regular push-ups and help you continue to make gains in the gym, we have put together a detailed list of the best push-up variations.

These variations are not all easy, so if you are new to doing different types of push-up variations for the chest, start by trying some of our beginner variations first. Once you have mastered these, you can move on to some of the hardest push-up variations known to man.

Not only will these variations add more fun to your workout, but they will also work your shoulders, core, back, and arm muscles more. So, if you want to add more resistance to your bodyweight training, try some of these push-up variations.

Push Up Variations For Chest Growth

While many exercises can help you build a bigger chest, push-ups are one of the most effective.

They not only work your chest muscles but also your triceps and shoulders. This makes them a great compound exercise for building overall upper body strength.

There are many different ways to do push-ups, so you can always mix up your routine to keep things interesting. However, if you’re looking for the best way to do push-ups for a bigger chest, here are a few tips:

– Use a wide grip: This will target your chest muscles more effectively.
– Keep your elbows close to your body: This helps isolate your chest muscles better.
– Lower yourself slowly: This puts more tension on your muscles and helps to build strength.

If you want to make your push-ups more challenging, you can try adding weight to them. For example, you can place a weight plate on your back or hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can also try doing push-ups with one hand, which will work your arms and chest. Just make sure to keep good form and don’t let your body sag in the middle.

Below are different variations you can use to grow a bigger chest and improve your core strength.

Push Up Variations For Beginners

There are many push-up variations for beginners that you can try to mix up your routine and work your body harder. Here are a few of our favourites:

Diamond push-ups
These are a great way to target your triceps. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your hands close together so that your index fingers and thumbs form a diamond shape. Lower yourself down until your chest almost touches the ground, and then push back up to the starting position.

Wide push-ups
These are perfect for targeting your chest muscles. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself down until your chest almost touches the ground, and then push back up to the starting position.

Close push-ups
These are ideal for working your triceps. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your hands close together so that your elbows are touching. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the ground, and then push back up to the starting position.

Medicine ball push-ups
These push-ups are performed with a medicine ball placed under your chest. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your hands on the medicine ball. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the ball, and then push back up to the starting position.

Incline push-ups
These push-ups are performed with your hands elevated on a bench or chair. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your hands on the bench so that your body is inclined. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the ground, and then push back up to the starting position.

Hardest Push Up Variations

If the above exercise don’t offer enough resistance to your workout, you can try some of the hardest push up variations you can do. However, take not that these are not easy and may require many weeks of practice to master.

One-arm push-ups
As the name suggests, these push-ups are performed by using only one arm. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your left hand on your hip and raise your right arm off the ground. Lower yourself down with your right arm until your chest almost touches the ground, and then push back up to the starting position. Repeat with your left arm.

Clapping push-ups
These push-ups are performed as quickly and explosively as possible. Start in a regular push-up position, but as you push back up to the starting position, explosively push yourself off the ground and clap your hands together before catching yourself and returning to the starting position.

Plyometric push-ups
These are great for building explosive power. Start in a regular push-up position, but as you push back up to the starting position, explosively push yourself off the ground and clap your hands together before catching yourself and returning to the starting position.

Decline push-ups
These are performed with your feet elevated on a bench or chair. Start in a regular push-up position, but place your feet on the bench so that your body is in a decline. Lower yourself down until your chest almost touches the ground, and then push back up to the starting position.

 

Push Up Variations For Core Muscles

Last but not least are some variations you can use to target the core more. While many of the other variations work your core as well as your arms, these two below add more emphasis on the core muscles.

Push Up With Rotation
The push-up with rotation is a variation of the standard push-up that adds an extra challenge to your core muscles. To perform this exercise, start in a plank position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart.
Lower your body to the ground, and rotate your torso to the right as you push back up to the starting position. Repeat on the left side.

Spiderman push-ups
These are great for working your core muscles. Start in a regular push-up position, but as you lower yourself down, bring your right knee up to meet your right elbow. Push back up to the starting position, and repeat with your left leg.