Pike Push-Up
The bodyweight route to overhead pressing strength.
Setup
- Hands and feet on the floor, hips piked high, body in an upside-down V.
- Walk the feet in until the torso is close to vertical.
How To Do It
- Lower the crown of the head toward the floor between the hands.
- Touch lightly, then press back to the start.
- Elbows track at about 45 degrees, not straight out.
Breathing
Inhale down, exhale up.
Common Mistakes
- Losing the pike and turning it into a push-up.
- Flaring the elbows wide and stressing the shoulder.
Programming It
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 4–6 | 2–3+ min |
| Muscle | 3–4 | 8–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Endurance / Conditioning | 2–3 | 15–20 | 30–45 sec |
Why This Exercise Works
Overhead pressing demands shoulder mobility, thoracic extension and trunk stability at the same time.
Where It Fits in a Program
The bodyweight route to overhead pressing strength. Train it when you are fresh enough to execute it well — compound work early in a session, isolation and accessory work after. You should have a working base in the underlying pattern before loading this heavily. Add weight only when the current load is genuinely comfortable for all prescribed reps.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the pike push-up: elevate the hardest position, slow the tempo, add a pause, or progress to a single-limb pike push-up. To regress it: reduce range to what you control, or elevate your hands to shorten the lever. Change one variable at a time.
Equipment and Substitutions
This version needs no equipment. If the pattern is not available to you on a given day, choose another exercise training the same muscles from the list below — the pattern matters more than the implement.
Related Exercises
- Machine Shoulder Press — Shoulders, Triceps
- Overhead Press — Shoulders, Triceps, Core
- Close-Grip Bench Press — Triceps, Chest, Shoulders
- Diamond Push-Up — Triceps, Chest
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press — Shoulders, Triceps
- Cable Rear Delt Fly — Rear Delts
- Decline Push-Up — Upper Chest, Shoulders
- Cable Fly (High-to-Low) — Lower Chest
Common Questions
What muscles does the pike push-up work?
The barbell back squat primarily trains the legs, glutes, core. The listed muscles are highlighted in the animation above so you can see which tissue is producing the movement rather than guessing from the exercise name.
How many sets and reps should I do?
The pike push-up is a demanding compound movement, so it belongs early in a session. Three to five sets of three to six reps for strength; three to four of six to ten for size. Rest two to three minutes.
What are the most common pike push-up mistakes?
On the barbell back squat, the usual faults are letting the tempo run away on the lowering phase, loading beyond what the legs, glutes, core can control, and cutting the range short at the hardest point of the rep.
Can I do this without any equipment?
Yes — this version needs no equipment at all. It trains the shoulders, triceps using bodyweight alone, which is why it travels well and works as a warm-up, a substitute, or a full session on its own.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The pike push-up loads the shoulder and elbow directly, so an existing problem there is the one to watch. If a rep reproduces your pain rather than normal training discomfort, stop and get it assessed. This is general fitness information, not medical advice.
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Form guide for educational purposes — not medical advice. New to training or working around an issue? Apply for coaching and get a plan built for your body.