Decline Push Up
A push-up with the feet on a bench or step that emphasizes the upper chest, front delts and triceps with no equipment.
How to do it
- Place your feet on a sturdy bench, step or low platform and lower your hands to the floor.
- Set your hands slightly wider than your shoulders with straight arms and your body in one long line.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your hips don't sag or pike during the rep.
- Lower your chest toward the floor under control, keeping your elbows at about 45 degrees.
- Pause briefly with your chest just above the floor, holding tension through your upper body.
- Press back up to full arm extension, driving through your chest and triceps, then repeat.
Key technique cue
Hips in line with the torso — don't sag or pike, elbows ~45°.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which breaks the line and shifts the load into the lower back.
- ✕ Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees, which overloads the front delts and cuts chest work.
- ✕ Bouncing off the bottom instead of pausing briefly to control the movement through the full range.
- ✕ Cutting the range short by stopping well above the floor and skipping the deep stretch.
Benefits
- ✓ Emphasizes the upper chest and front delts without an incline barbell.
- ✓ Builds bodyweight pressing strength using just a step or bench.
- ✓ Bridges the gap between standard push-ups and harder pressing variations.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 -
Step 3 You are here - Decline Push Up
- Fingertip Push-Up
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Step 4
About the exercise
The Decline Push Up takes a standard push-up and elevates the feet, which shifts the load toward the upper chest and front delts. It is one of the easiest ways to make the push-up harder and target an area most home athletes never hit — no barbell or incline bench required. For home, travel and calisthenics training, it is a solid upper-chest option that needs nothing more than a couch or a step. It also works as a beginner-to-intermediate stepping stone toward harder push-up variations and dips.
Updated
Similar exercises
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Intermediate Parallel Bar Dips -
Beginner Incline Push-Up Close-Grip -
Intermediate Barbell Bench Press -
Intermediate Barbell Floor Press -
Intermediate Barbell High Incline Bench Press -
Intermediate Barbell Incline Bench Press -
Intermediate Decline Barbell Bench Press -
Intermediate Reverse-Grip Barbell Bench Press
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