Exercises / Horizontal push
Incline push-up
Horizontal push Bodyweight Complexity 1/5
Working position
Setup
Hands on a bench or rail, body in a straight line from head to heels.
Execution
Lower the chest to the surface under control, then press away.
Coaching cues
- Body stays one straight line
- Elbows about 45 degrees from the ribs
- Push the floor away
Common fault
Hips sag toward the floor
Fix: Cue 'squeeze the glutes'; raise the hands higher to reduce the demand.
Muscles trained
Primary: Pectoralis major (pecs)Triceps brachii (triceps)
Secondary: Deltoid (delts)Transversus abdominis (TVA)
Regression and progression
Easier: This is the entry-level variation.
Harder: Push-up
Rule
Never advance complexity and load in the same week. When the variation gets harder, the load comes down.