Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Lie on the floor face down and body straight with your toes on the floor and the hands wider than shoulder width for a wide hand position and closer than shoulder width for a close hand position. Make sure you are holding your torso up at arms length.
- 2Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
- 3Using your pectoral muscles, press your upper body back up to the starting position and squeeze your chest. Breathe out as you perform this step.
- 4After a second pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
table_chartRecommended sets and reps
These ranges vary depending on your training goal — adjust the load accordingly.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| boltStrength | 4–5 | 3–6 | 3–5 min |
| fitness_centerHypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 | 90 s |
| timerEndurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 30–45 s |
About Pushups (Close and Wide Hand Positions)
Alternating close and wide hand-position push-ups combine two variations of the standard push-up in the same session, simply changing hand placement to shift the muscular emphasis. In a plank position, hands wider than shoulder width emphasize the chest, while hands closer than shoulder width shift more work to the triceps, with everything else staying the same: a controlled descent while inhaling until nearly touching the floor, then pressing back up while squeezing the chest. Alternating between the two grips within the same workout, or from one session to the next, lets you vary the stimulus without changing exercises or adding equipment. It's a simple, effective way to keep progressing with bodyweight training while working several upper-body muscles in a balanced way.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleVaries the muscular stimulus without changing exercises
- check_circleWide grip emphasizes the chest, close grip the triceps
- check_circleRequires no equipment
- check_circleEasy to add to any training program
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbKeep the body perfectly aligned in both positions
- lightbulbAdjust hand width depending on which muscle you want to prioritize
- lightbulbLower until you feel a good stretch across the chest
- lightbulbSqueeze the chest hard at the top, regardless of grip
warningCommon mistakes
- warningPlacing the hands so wide it strains the shoulders
- warningBringing the hands too close together, overloading the wrists
- warningLetting the hips sag in either position
- warningOnly lowering through a partial range of motion
helpFrequently asked questions
Should I do both grips in the same session?expand_more
It's not required, but alternating them within one workout or across sessions helps balance chest and triceps work.
Which grip should I use to target the chest?expand_more
A wide grip emphasizes the chest more, while a close grip shifts the work toward the triceps.
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