Wide Push-Up: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The wide push-up is a push-up variation with your hands set wider than shoulder width, which shifts more emphasis onto your outer chest. Your shoulders and triceps handle the pressing motion alongside your chest, and your abdominals brace your torso so your body stays in a straight line.
- Primary muscle:
- Chest
- Secondary muscles:
- Abdominals, Shoulders, Triceps
Muscles worked
Your chest is the prime mover in the wide push-up, and the wider hand position increases the stretch and workload on your chest compared with a standard push-up. Your shoulders and triceps assist the press, extending your arms to push your body back up.
Your abdominals brace throughout the movement to keep your hips from sagging, holding your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your heels for the whole set.
Log Wide Push-Up in PR Streak
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How to do it
- With your hands wide apart, support your body on your toes and hands in a plank position. Your elbows should be extended and your body straight. Do not allow your hips to sag. This will be your starting position.
- To begin, allow the elbows to flex, lowering your chest to the floor as you inhale.
- Using your pectoral muscles, press your upper body back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Exhale as you perform this step.
- After pausing at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Form tips
- Set your hands wider than shoulder width, roughly a hand's length out on each side.
- Keep your body in a straight line and don't let your hips drop.
- Lower your chest close to the floor before pressing back up.
- Point your fingers slightly outward for comfortable wrist positioning.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Bodyweight |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hand width really change which muscles work?
Yes. A wider hand position increases the stretch on your chest and shifts more work there, while a narrower position, like a diamond push-up, puts more demand on your triceps. Your shoulders and abdominals stay involved either way.
How many wide push-ups should I aim for?
As a bodyweight exercise, most lifters train push-ups in the 12 reps or more range for muscular endurance, or slow the tempo down and add a pause if you want it to feel more like a 6-12 rep muscle building set.
More chest exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
