Primary
Shoulders
Secondary
Triceps, Upper chest
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Push
See how Pike Push-Up could fit a workout
The example below shows one possible placement. Your purchased plan is built from your assessment, and Ely checks every exercise before approving it.
One-time purchase · Checked by Ely · Delivered in 1–3 business days
This page is not medical advice or a rehabilitation protocol. Ely's personal review applies to purchased workout plans and does not replace an in-person assessment by a licensed healthcare professional.
The pike push-up is a bodyweight shoulder press that requires no equipment. By forming an inverted V with your body, you shift significant load onto your shoulders instead of your chest. This makes it an excellent pressing movement for home training and a necessary progression toward handstand push-ups.
When to use it
Use for bodyweight shoulder pressing.
Who it's for
Intermediate bodyweight trainers.
Get your hips as high as possible—the more vertical your torso, the more shoulder-dominant the exercise becomes. Your head should lower between your hands, not in front of them. If your hamstring flexibility limits how high you can pike, elevate your feet on a step or box.
Browse all shoulders exercises
Also targets: Triceps, upper chest
Want Ely to consider Pike Push-Up for your plan?
Share your training details. Ely reviews the full week before anything is delivered.
Start in a push-up position.
Walk your feet toward your hands.
Pike your hips up high, forming an inverted V.
Lower your head toward the floor between your hands.
Push back up to the starting position.
Keep your legs as straight as possible.
Great progression toward handstand push-ups.
The more vertical, the harder it is.
Keep your core tight.
Look back toward your feet.
Use pike push-ups as your primary shoulder pressing movement when you have no weights, or as a warm-up before heavy overhead pressing. They progress naturally into deficit pike push-ups (hands on blocks) and eventually wall-supported handstand push-ups. Include them in push-up workout finishers for shoulder emphasis.
Not piking hips high enough.
Losing hip position during the Pike Push-Up changes the loading pattern and can reduce the intended work for your Front shoulders. Keep your hips aligned with the setup cues and move only through the range you can control.
Bending knees too much.
Letting your knees drift away from the intended line during the Pike Push-Up changes how force moves through the exercise. Keep each knee tracking in line with the foot as you move.
Looking forward instead of back.
Changing your back position during the Pike Push-Up can alter the movement and make the load harder to control. Brace your midsection and keep the torso position called for by the exercise.
Intermediate bodyweight trainers.
These ranges illustrate ways to organize training. They are not an individual prescription. Adjust them for the exercise, your experience, and the rest of your program.
Heavier loads can be useful for developing maximum strength. The range shown is an example, and the load must match your current technique and capacity.
Muscle growth can occur across different loads and repetition ranges. This example is not a uniquely effective zone; your overall program and effort also matter.
This is an example of a longer set. A repetition target alone does not establish joint safety or whether the exercise is appropriate for you.
Example: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Rest 60-90s.
Background for resistance exercises: the 2026 ACSM position stand covers healthy adults, and a load-comparison review found similar muscle growth across loads in studies using sets taken to muscular failure. These findings do not validate every exercise-specific range shown here or require training to failure.
This is one example of how Pike Push-Up could sit inside a complete workout. Your plan may use different movements after Ely checks your assessment.
Sample workout
MySetPlan guides you set by set, times your rest, records your work, and tells you what to do next from the plan Ely approved.
Start My $19 WeekShare your goal, schedule, equipment, and experience. Ely checks the complete exercise selection before he approves your week.
Start My $19 Starter Week$19 once · No automatic renewal · Delivered in 1–3 business days
Frequently Asked Questions About the Pike Push-Up
The Pike Push-Up primarily targets the Front shoulders, Side shoulders, making it an effective exercise for shoulders development. Secondary muscles worked during the Pike Push-Up include Triceps, Upper chest, providing additional training stimulus. Stabilizer muscles engaged include Core.
Our library labels Pike Push-Up as intermediate. That category is not an individual assessment. Review the setup, movement instructions, and safety notes, and seek qualified guidance if you are unsure how to perform it.
The programming section shows examples for Pike Push-Up. The appropriate amount depends on your current ability, the exercise, and your other training. The listed ranges are not an individual prescription or a guarantee of a particular outcome.
The main equipment listed for Pike Push-Up is no equipment. Check the instructions for any additional support, anchor, bench, rack, or clear space needed. The equipment label alone does not confirm that your home setup is suitable.
Good alternatives to the Pike Push-Up include: Handstand Push-Up, Decline Push-Up. These exercises target similar muscle groups as the Pike Push-Up and can be used as substitutes based on your equipment availability, gym setup, or training preferences.