WhatWorksWhat.
Front delts

Pike Push-up

Front and side delts doing the work; tight contraction overhead.

Complexity · Mediumcalisthenicsintermediate+Bodyweight
  • Front delts
  • Front delts - Front delts
  • Side delts
  • Triceps
  • Front delts

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Front delts

    Hit

    Lifts arm forward/up.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

5:05· Paul Twyman

PIKE PUSH UP Tutorial for the Complete Beginner

Top

Bottom

Start in a downward-dog position - hips high, hands and feet on the floor, head pointing down between the hands. Bend the elbows to lower the crown of the head to the floor, press back up.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop - turns into a regular push-up.
  • Going too fast - lose the shoulder load.

Where you should feel it

Front and side delts doing the work; tight contraction overhead.

Injury risk · 3/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains front delts. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Elevated pike push-up

    Feet on a bench, more vertical.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Handstand push-up against wall

    Full vertical.

    100% on target

    On target

    Much heavier loading.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

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  • Cobra Pose

    Lying face-down, hands under the shoulders. Press the chest up by extending the back. Hips stay on the floor. 30s. Antidote to a long day of crunches and sitting.

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  • Downward Dog

    Hands and feet on the floor, hips in the air making an inverted V. Press the heels toward the floor. Pedal the heels alternately for a stronger calf stretch. 45s.

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