How do I make pike push ups harder?

Walk your feet closer to your hands to increase the pike angle and place more weight on your shoulders. You can also elevate your feet on a box or bench to further increase the vertical pressing angle.

What is the difference between pike push ups and handstand push ups?

Pike push ups are performed with feet on the ground in an inverted V position, while handstand push ups are fully inverted against a wall. Pike push ups use less bodyweight and serve as a progression exercise toward the full handstand push up.

Should my legs be straight in pike push ups?

Straight legs are ideal as they create a better pike position and increase the shoulder load. However, a slight bend in the knees is acceptable if hamstring flexibility limits your ability to maintain the inverted V shape with hips high.

Pike Push Up

The pike push up is a bodyweight exercise that shifts load from the chest to the shoulders by elevating the hips into an inverted V position. It suits lifters looking to build shoulder strength and size without equipment, and serves as a progression toward handstand push ups.

Muscle group: Shoulders
Primary muscles: deltoids, triceps
Equipment: Bodyweight

How to do the Pike Push Up

Start in a standard push up position, then walk your feet toward your hands while lifting your hips high to form an inverted V shape with your body.
Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with fingers pointing forward and your head neutral between your arms.
Bend your elbows to lower the top of your head toward the floor, keeping your hips high and maintaining the pike angle.
Press through your palms to extend your elbows and return to the starting pike position.

Form tips

Keep your hips high throughout the movement to maintain shoulder loading rather than allowing them to drop and shifting the work to your chest.
Lower your head in a straight line toward the floor rather than diving forward, which keeps tension on the deltoids.
Walk your feet closer to your hands to increase the angle and difficulty, making the movement more vertical and shoulder-focused.

Common mistakes

Dropping the hips during the descent: this shifts the exercise into a standard push up and reduces shoulder activation.
Flaring the elbows out excessively: this increases shoulder joint stress and reduces triceps involvement in the press.
Using a shallow range of motion: this limits deltoid development by not bringing the head close enough to the floor.

Sets and reps

For strength, perform 3 to 5 sets of 4 to 8 reps with a focus on controlled tempo. For hypertrophy, perform 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps with minimal rest between sets.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I make pike push ups harder?: Walk your feet closer to your hands to increase the pike angle and place more weight on your shoulders. You can also elevate your feet on a box or bench to further increase the vertical pressing angle.
What is the difference between pike push ups and handstand push ups?: Pike push ups are performed with feet on the ground in an inverted V position, while handstand push ups are fully inverted against a wall. Pike push ups use less bodyweight and serve as a progression exercise toward the full handstand push up.
Should my legs be straight in pike push ups?: Straight legs are ideal as they create a better pike position and increase the shoulder load. However, a slight bend in the knees is acceptable if hamstring flexibility limits your ability to maintain the inverted V shape with hips high.

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