10 Easy Beginner Pushup Variations

So you can’t do a pushup yet. Or maybe you aren’t strong enough for tougher exercises. That’s ok, you can still get all of the benefits of pushups from these easy beginner pushup variations.

1. Incline Pushups

This is an easier variation for those who can’t perform pushups yet. It works the chest and triceps in the same way as an ordinary pushup but takes most of the load off. Include these in your beginner chest workout to build the strength needed to do a normal pushup.

For this beginner pushup variation you’ll need a stable surface to place your hands like a table, bench or chair. The higher you place your hands, the easier incline pushups become.

How to do Incline Pushups?

1. Place your hands on an elevated surface around shoulder width apart.
2. Move your legs backwards until your body is straight.
3. Tighten your abs and glutes to keep your body straight.
4. Bend your arms at your elbows so you lower your chest to just above the surface you are using.
5. Pause at the bottom.
6. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows to raise your chest back into the starting position. This is 1 repetition.
7. Aim to be able to perform between 8-12 repetitions of incline pushups before moving on to the next variation.

2. Knee Pushups

This is another great beginner pushup variation for those who aren’t strong enough to do a pushup. It even reduces the amount of core strength you need to maintain the pushup position.

How to Perform Knee Pushups?

1. Get down on your knees.
2. Place your hands on the floor at the same level as your chest. They should be shoulder width apart.
3. Tighten your abs and glutes to keep your body straight, except for your legs.
4. Bend your arms at the elbows so that you lower your chest to just above the floor.
5. Pause at the bottom.
6. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows so that you raise your chest back to the starting position. This is 1 repetition.
7. Aim to perform between 8-12 repetitions before moving on to regular pushups.

3. Eccentric or Negative Pushups

Another easy beginner pushup variation is the eccentric pushup. You can use these to build your strength until you are able to do normal pushups. It focuses on the lowering or lengthening phase of the exercise. This is the phase that is the most responsible for muscle growth.

How to do Eccentric Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours.
2. Keep your feet close together.
3. Place your hands shoulder width apart at chest level.
4. Slowly bend your arms at the elbows to lower your chest to the floor. Do this as slow as possible.
5. When your chest is just above the level of the floor, stop and get up and return to the start position.
6. Aim to take at least 3 seconds to lower your chest.
7. Aim for at least 10 repetitions before moving on to regular pushups.

4. Isometric Pushups

This is a great way to stimulate your chest muscles when you don’t have the strength to push yourself up off the floor. This makes it a perfect beginner pushup variation.

How to do Isometric Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours, like if you were going to do a pushup.
2. Make sure your hands are shoulder width apart and at chest level.
3. Bend your elbows so that you lower your chest to any point in a regular pushup.
4. Squeeze your chest and hold this position for as long as possible.
5. Aim for at least 30 seconds.
6. Make sure to vary the position you are holding for added muscle stimulation. Try it in the bottom, middle and top portions of a pushup.

5. Pushups

Once you’re able to do it, the regular pushup is one of the best and most versatile exercises to include in your workout routine. It is a full body exercise, working everything from the chest, shoulders and arms to the back, abs and legs. Learn how to engage your chest during pushups.

How to do a Pushup?

1. Get down on all fours.
2. Keep your feet close together.
3. Place your hands shoulder width apart and just under the level of your shoulders.
4. Bend your arms at the elbows so that you lower your chest to just above the floor.
5. Pause at the bottom.
6. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows to raise your chest off the floor and into the starting position. This is 1 repetition.
7. Aim for 8-12 repetitions before moving on to the next variations.

6. Wide Pushups

This pushup variation is great for beginners who want to focus on building their chest. The exercise takes the load off of the triceps and places it more on the chest. For more benefits of wide pushups click here.

How to do Wide Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours.
2. Keep your feet close together.
3. Place your hands wider than shoulder width apart. They should still be at chest level.
4. Bend your arms at the elbows to lower your chest to just above the floor.
5. Pause at the bottom.
6. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows to raise your chest off the floor. This is 1 repetition.
7. Aim for between 8-12 repetitions.

7. Diamond or Narrow Pushups

This pushup variation is great for beginners who want to emphasize triceps and arm development. It places most of the load on the triceps but is also really good for chest development. Learn more about diamond pushups here.

How to do Narrow Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours.
2. Keep your feet close together.
3. Place your hands less than shoulder width apart.
4. Bend your arms at the elbows so that you lower your chest to just above the floor.
5. Pause at the bottom.
6. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows to raise yourself back into the starting position. This is 1 repetition.
7. Aim for 8-12 repetitions.

To do diamond pushups, place your hands close together and form a diamond or triangle shape with your index fingers and thumbs. Perform the exercise as usual.

8. Plyometric Pushups

These are a great pushup variation for beginners focused on building strength and power. There are many variations of plyometric pushups, but the most basic beginner variation is the jump pushup.

How to do Jump Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours as if you were doing a pushup.
2. Bend your arms at the elbows so that you lower your chest to just above the floor.
3. Pause at the bottom.
4. Push up explosively. If your hands left the ground you pushed hard enough.
5. Bend your elbows as you return to the floor to cushion your ‘jump.’
6. Aim to perform 8-12 repetitions.

9. One Leg Pushups

This pushup variation challenges your core stability, so it’s perfect for beginners who are looking to work their abs and build up their core strength.

How to do One Leg Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours as if you were about to do a regular pushup.
2. Lift one of your legs off the floor. Keep it straight.
3. Bend your arms at the elbows so that you lower your chest to just above the floor.
4. Pause at the bottom.
5. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows so that you perform a pushup.
6. Aim to perform between 8-12 repetitions.
7. Make sure to switch the legs you are lifting off the floor so that you develop balanced core strength.

10. Spiderman Pushups

This pushup variation kills two birds with one stone, working chest and abs at the same time.

How to do Spiderman Pushups?

1. Get down on all fours as if you were about to do a regular pushup.
2. Bend your arms at the elbows to lower your chest to just above the floor.
3. As you lower your chest, lift one leg off the floor and bend it at the knee. Lift the knee towards your elbow.
4. Squeeze your chest muscles and extend your arms at the elbows to push yourself up to the starting position.
5. As you push up, straighten your leg and place it back on the floor.
6. Interchange legs between repetitions.
7. Aim for 8-12 repetitions.

Those were 10 easy pushup variations that beginners can include in their program. Here is a list of harder exercises for those of you looking to challenge yourself, and you can read this article if you’re looking to find out how to use these exercises to build muscle and strength.

References:

Adams, G., Cheng, D., Haddad, F. and Baldwin, K., 2004. Skeletal muscle hypertrophy in response to isometric, lengthening, and shortening training bouts of equivalent duration. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(5), pp.1613-1618.

Ebben, W., Wurm, B., VanderZanden, T., Spadavecchia, M., Durocher, J., Bickham, C. and Petushek, E., 2011. Kinetic Analysis of Several Variations of Push-Ups. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(10), pp.2891-2894.