How to do the Decline Push-up
Put your toes on a bench and your hands on the floor, slightly wider than your shoulders.
Brace your core to keep your body in a straight line.
Lower your chest close to the floor.
Push up until your arms are straight.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1 min |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 1 min |
When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add a rep or a harder variation next session.
Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.
Muscles worked
Alternatives
Same muscles, similar movement: swap in one of these if the Decline Push-up doesn’t suit your gym or your joints.
Train smarter
- How to do push-ups correctly: form, levels and muscle growthHow to do push-ups correctly: hand and elbow position, body line and depth, easier and harder variations, and how to use push-ups to build real muscle.
- 2 day workout plan: build muscle training twice a weekA 2 day workout plan that still builds muscle and strength: two full-body sessions, sets and reps, supersets to save time and what results to expect.
- 30 minute gym workout: templates that build muscleA 30 minute gym workout can build real muscle. Supersets, smart exercise choice and three ready-to-use templates for 30 to 45 minute sessions.
