Decline Push up: Muscle, Benefits and How to

Decline push-ups or feet elevated push-ups is a strength exercise for upper body.

It is similar as basic push ups that build round chest and toned arms. By placing your feet on table or ball increases the difficulty, which also improve core strength.

1. Muscle Used

Like any push-up exercise, there are three main muscles involved such as:

• Chest: especially the upper chest that give your chest a great appearance, it also trains the lower chest.
• Shoulders (deltoid): elevated feet position put more stress on shoulder muscle.
• Triceps: It is the main muscle that used in decline push up.

Secondary muscle:

• Core: it help stabilize the body
• Forearm and elbow joint
• Lower back: When done with correct form.

2. Decline Push up Benefits

This variation has similar benefits as basic push ups:

• Trains the complete upper body: this exercises uses many muscles of the upper body. Therefore, it is ideal for a full body workout.
• Improve endurance: If you do them regularly with more repetitions, it can help with muscular endurance. This is important for your daily life, even for things that do not require physical effort.
• Muscle growth: by increasing the amount of push ups, with increasing and decreasing speed, you will notice better muscle growth.
• Boosts growth hormone: decline push ups put stress on your muscle which help produce human growth hormone that help stimulate muscle growth and increases the strength.
• Better posture and balance: when the core become stronger, it will help maintain the posture and balance.
• Prevent Injuries: before weight lifting you can do them to warm up the body. It also strengthens the upper body which make weight lifting easier.

3. How to do Decline Push up

Everything is similar as basic push up, follow the instructions:

• Place your hands on the floor at shoulder width.
• Place your feet on a bench or an exercise ball, adjust the height according to your level.
• Keep your back straight and core engaged during the exercise.
• Look down and lower yourself by bending your elbows until your nose touches to ground in a controlled manner.
• Return to the starting position by extending your arms.

Why you should do decline push up?

It is necessary to increase the difficulty, once the normal push ups become too easy. By changing the position of the hands and feet, you can make this exercise difficult.

The higher the bench, the more anterior deltoids will work, but also increases the risk of injury so avoid placing your feet too high.

Decline push ups are ideal for those who are no longer able to achieve results with classic push-ups. You can also increase the difficulty by adding ballast ball.