Decline push-up
Feet raised, hands on the floor. A harder push-up that puts more of the work into the upper chest and shoulders.
The movement
Top
01 Top
Feet elevated behind you, hands under the shoulders.
02 Bottom
Head travels ahead of the hands as you lower under control.
How to do it
Setup
- Put your feet on a bench or a sturdy box, with your hands on the floor under your shoulders.
- Tighten your whole body before you bend your arms, because this position makes sagging easier.
Execution
- Lower under control until your head travels just past your hands.
- Press away until your arms are fully straight.
- Reset your brace between reps if your hips start to drop.
Form cues
- The higher your feet, the harder the rep and the more shoulder work.
- Bring your chest toward the floor, not your head.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips pike upward, which shortens the range and unloads the chest.
- Raising the feet before floor push-ups are strict and solid.
Worth knowing
- Start with a low box. The exercise gets hard quickly as the height goes up.
General guidance, not medical advice. See how Setkit works.
Notes
Raising your feet does two things. It puts more of your bodyweight over your hands, which makes the press heavier, and it changes the angle so your upper chest and front shoulders take a bigger share of the work. It is the natural next step once flat push-ups pass fifteen clean reps.
This position punishes a loose trunk more than any other push-up. With your feet up, gravity is actively trying to fold you at the hips. If your decline reps feel easy but sag in the middle, lower the bench and build the position back up.
The decline push-up is also on the road to the pike push-up and eventually to pressing while upside down. The hand position stays the same, and your torso gets steadily more vertical.