Push-Up Plus
At a glance
- Equipment
- None — bodyweight
- Suggested reps
- 3 sets of 10–15 reps
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Common mistakes
You skip the plus and treat it as a regular push-up, missing the only part that makes the variation different.
You round the whole spine and drop the head instead of moving only the shoulder blades apart.
You let the hips sag or pike up as you push away, which changes the angle and unloads the top position.
You rush the plus rather than holding the spread for a full beat.
What to focus on
At lockout keep pushing the floor away until the upper back rounds slightly and the shoulder blades spread wide.
Hold the top for a beat and feel the muscle along your ribs before lowering into the next rep.
Keep the body in one straight line from heels to head through both the push-up and the plus.
Related strength moves
Sources & further reading
- 1.The push-up plus is one of the core serratus-anterior exercises; serratus and lower trapezius form the force couple that posteriorly tilts the scapula about the acromioclavicular joint axis — Int. J. Sports Physical Therapy (2019), kinesiologic review