Deep Push-Up on Handles: how to do it right
In short: Push-ups done on raised handles to load the pecs in a deep stretched position at the bottom of the movement.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Set the handles a bit wider than your shoulders, body braced in a strict plank, head neutral.
- 2Lower slowly, flaring your elbows slightly to 45 degrees, let your chest sink below the line of your hands.
- 3Go for the maximum stretch at the bottom without losing your bracing, without touching down or bouncing.
- 4Slow the descent over 2 to 3 seconds, that's where the work happens.
- 5Come back up under control, mentally drawing your hands together, without locking your elbows out sharply.
The mistake to avoid
Don't arch your lower back on the way down: keep your abs braced and your body aligned.
Other common mistakes
- Fast descent with a bounce at the bottom: you lose all the stretch tension, slow down to 2-3 s with no jerk.
- Range cut off at the top: you dodge the best part of the movement, let your chest sink below your hands.
- Hips sagging or butt in the air: your bracing gives out, keep a rigid plank from skull to heels.
- Elbows tucked against your body: this overloads the triceps, open them toward 45 degrees to target the pec.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Chest
- Supporting:
- Triceps, Front delts
The pec major (middle sternocostal fibers) is the prime mover, bringing the arms toward the midline of the body. The triceps extend the elbow and the front delt assists the push. The handle position removes the floor limit and lets your hands sit lower than your chest.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
- Dumbbell Bench Press ›
- Archer Push-Up on Handles ›
- Deficit Hands-Elevated Push-Up ›
- Wide-Grip Push-Up on Handles ›
- Plyometric Push-Up ›
Frequently asked questions
How do I perform these push-ups?
Set the handles a bit wider than your shoulders, body braced in a strict plank, head neutral. Lower slowly, flaring your elbows slightly to 45 degrees, and let your chest sink below the line of your hands. Slow the descent over 2 to 3 seconds, without touching down or bouncing. Come back up under control without locking your elbows out sharply.
How low do I go with the handles?
That's the whole point of the handles: your chest has to pass below the line of your hands, where the pec is most lengthened. Never cut this low zone, it's what builds. If you can't go all the way down, put your knees down rather than shortening the range.
What should I feel and where?
You should feel the stretch in your chest at the bottom, on the middle fibers of the pec major. The triceps and front delt assist, so feeling them is normal. If you feel almost only your triceps, your elbows are too tight against your body: open them toward 45 degrees.
What tempo for the descent?
Slow the descent over 2 to 3 seconds: that's where the work happens. At the bottom, no bounce and no resting on the floor, you flow into the push with no jerk. The easy phase is at the top, the phase that builds is this controlled bottom.