Deficit Push-Up

Have you already mastered standard push-ups and are looking for a more challenging variation? Try deficit push-ups!

They are an excellent exercise for shoulder, triceps, and chest development. The deeper stretch in the chest and shoulders can also improve your mobility in the upper body.

This guide will give you all the details you need about deficit push-ups. We cover the benefits, how to incorporate it into your routine, and which muscles they target.

How To Do

  1. Get a non-slippery mat and place two sturdy weight plates, yoga blocks, or dumbbells on it shoulder-width apart.
  2. Get into a push-up position with your body in a straight line head to heels.
  3. Place both hands on top of the objects with your palms flat.
  4. Brace your core and inhale as you slowly bend your elbows, and lower your chest towards the floor.
  5. Lower yourself until your chest drops below the level of your hands.
  6. Pause for a few seconds as you reach your full range of movement.
  7. Exhale and press through your hands while extending your elbows to return to the starting position.

Tips From Expert

  • Keep your core braced, your back and legs straight, and your toes touching the ground for proper form.
  • Keep your hands stacked directly below your shoulders.
  • If you want an easier version, perform deficit push-ups with your knees on the ground.
  • Make deficit push-ups harder by raising the elevation of your hands.
  • Avoid arching or rounding your back to prevent lower back strain. Maintain a neutral spine at all times.
  • Do not flare your elbows out too far, as it can hurt your shoulders. Keep them at a 45 to 75-degree angle.
  • Lower yourself far enough to get the full benefits of the deficit push-up.

Optimal Sets and Reps

Deficit push-ups are a body-weight exercise, that can easily be adjusted to your training goal. You can add weight, resistance, more elevation, or speed to gain strength, endurance, or power.

Below we show you the recommended sets and reps based on these goals.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–12
Endurance Training 3–4 15–20
Power Training 3–5 1–5 (Explosive)
Optimal Sets & Reps of Deficit Push-Up

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The deficit push-up is a staple for any home or gym workout routine for building upper-body and core strength. Elevating your hands increases the range of motion and targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps more intensely.

But how do you implement it into your routine? Here are a few ways it can fit into your training days:

  1. Push Routine — You can perform deficit push-ups on your push days along with exercises like bench or shoulder presses. These exercises specifically target the chest, shoulder, and triceps for maximum muscle gains.
    If you are more experienced in the weight room, add deficit push-ups as a burnout set at the end of your session. Aim for as many reps as you can handle.
  2. Full-Body Workouts — Pair push-ups with squats, deadlifts, and other upper-body exercises on a full-body day. A full-body routine is as effective as a split routine for strength when training intensity and volume are equal in both workout styles.
  3. Upper-Body Workouts — Combine deficit push-ups with other upper-body exercises, like bent-over rows or pull-ups. If you want to up the intensity, perform two exercises back to back without rest in between. This is called a superset.
    This training style can save time, yet it's more intense.
  4. Bodyweight Or Home Workouts — If you don’t have a gym membership, don’t worry. Deficit push-ups do not require any equipment. You can use them for building upper-body strength at home.
    To enhance strength and endurance, perform clapping deficit push-ups.

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Primary Muscle Groups

Clavicular Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the top of your chest, running from your armpit to collar bone. Smaller portion of your chest muscle.

Sternal Head of Pectoralis Major

Large muscles located underneath your clavicle head. Makes up most of your chest area

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major

Muscles located at the bottom of your pectoral region, just above your abdominal muscles.

Clavicular Head Of Pectoralis Major

The clavicular head originates from the collarbone. During deficit push-ups, as you lower your body below hand level, this head assists in lifting your torso back up. It flexes the shoulder when you push against the ground. It also plays a huge role in stabilizing the shoulder joint during this movement.

The muscle activation rate of the pectoralis major during elevated (deficit) push-ups is higher, measuring 350.63 (RMS). In contrast, traditional push-ups recorded a rate of 311.44 (RMS).

RMS (root mean square) measures the electrical activity in a muscle. It gives an idea of how strong the muscle’s activation is.

Sternal Head Of Pectoralis Major

The sternal head of the pecs attaches to the breastbone (sternum), located at the center of your chest. It brings your arms towards your body (adduction) and performs pushing movements. Therefore, it pushes your body upwards from the deep and stretched position.

The sternal head of the pectoralis major is highly activated during the decline bench press. This can suggest similar muscle involvement during deficit push-ups. Although they aren’t identical, the greater range of motion in deficit push-ups likely engages the sternal head similarly.

Abdominal Head Of Pectoralis Major

The abdominal head of the pecs sits at your lower chest and upper abdominal area. It attaches to the humerus, but slightly lower down on the arm than the others.

In general, it's more involved in pulling the arm down and across the body in a diagonal motion. This includes moving your arms from above the head to your opposite hip.

Therefore this head is more active when your arms are closer to your hips during deficit push-ups. It works together with the other heads to perform the press. Additionally, it stabilizes the shoulder in the downward portion of the push-up.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Erector Spinae

Muscles that span the entire length of your spine on either side.

Serratus Anterior

Small, fan shaped muscle that lies deep under your chest and scapula.

Upper Rectus Abdominis

Muscles located just below the lower chest and above the lower abdominals. Between your ribs and pubic bone.

Lower Rectus Abdominis

Muscles located below your upper abs and above your public bone between your ribs.

Obliques

Muscles located on the sides of your rectus abdominals. Runs on the sides of your trunk.

Triceps Lateral Heads

Muscles located on the back of your arm between your shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Medial Heads

Small muscles located at the back of your arms. Deep to the triceps long heads between the shoulder and elbow.

Triceps Long Heads

Large muscles located at the back of your arms between your shoulder and elbow. Most outside portion of the tricep.

Anterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region

Anterior Deltoid

The deltoid is an upside-down pyramid-shaped muscle, that sits on top of your shoulders. It's divided into three heads: the anterior, lateral, and posterior.

The anterior (front) head is the closest to your chest. It attaches to your collarbone and the side of the humerus. It lifts your arms forward (flexion) and rotates it inwards (medial rotation).

It stabilizes the shoulder joint during deficit push-ups and controls the downward movement. It also contracts to push your body away from the ground, together with your chest muscles.

Triceps Brachii

The triceps muscle runs along the back of your upper arm. It has three heads: the long, lateral, and medial. The lateral and medial head primarily straightens your elbows during deficit push-ups. They also keep the elbow joint in a safe position during this exercise.

In contrast, the long head crosses both the elbow and shoulders. It has a role in keeping your humerus head in the shoulder socket and extending your elbows during push-ups.

Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis is your front abdominal muscle, that forms your six-pack. It extends from your lower chest to the front of your pelvic bone.

You might be wondering, do push-ups work abs? Yes, they do. The job of the abs is to bring the ribcage closer to your pelvis. During deficit push-ups, it stabilizes your trunk and hips. It prevents arching of your lower back and helps maintain a straight body alignment.

If you want to increase its activity further, use unstable surfaces for your arms and legs during deficit push-ups. This requires more trunk stability, firing up the core.

Obliques

The obliques are a group of muscles on the sides of your abdomen, consisting of two layers: the external and internal obliques. The external oblique runs from the lower ribs to the pelvis. The internal oblique is beneath it, running from the hip bone and pubic area into the lower ribs.

During deficit push-ups, they prevent you from twisting your torso or moving side-to-side. They help you brace up and maintain a neutral, and safe position. They also assist in keeping your pelvis stable and maintaining a straight line from the head to heels.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior is a fan-shaped muscle on the side of your chest. It’s referred to as a boxer’s muscle because it pushes the shoulders forward, like when you punch. As you push your body up during deficit push-ups, it allows the shoulders to move forward.

It pulls the shoulder blade forward around the rib cage. It also keeps the scapula (shoulder blade) against the ribs, providing stability. During the downward movement of deficit push-ups, it prevents it from winging.

If you want to increase serratus anterior activity, position your palms wider, then shoulder-width apart (150%) during push-ups.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae is a group of muscles that run alongside your spine. They run from the base of your spine up to your skull, parallel to the spine.

They extend (arch) and stabilize your back. They have an important role in maintaining proper posture and supporting the spine during movement, such as during deficit push-ups.

During the lowering phase, they prevent excessive arching or rounding of the back. It helps you maintain a straight body alignment. They work alongside other core muscles to prevent sagging or rising too high.

Equipment

Bodyweight

Bodyweight

Requires bodyweight resistance and additional equipment for proper execution.

Variations

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the same equipment.

Push-Up

Doorway Chest Stretch

Dynamic Arm Swing

T Push-Up

Decline Push-Up

Wide Push-Up

Push-Up to Shoulder Tap

Clap Push-Up

Plyo Push-Up

Chair Chest Dip

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same primary muscle groups and require the different equipment.

Barbell Bench Press

Dumbbell Bench Press

Chest Dip

Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

Cable Chest Fly

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Dumbbell Chest Fly

Incline Machine Press

Chest Press Machine

Barbell Decline Bench Press

Who Should Do?

Intermediate Or Advanced Athletes

Beginners should first build a solid foundation with standard or kneeling push-ups, before attempting deficit ones. They similarly target the chest, shoulder, and triceps, but require less strength. 

During deficit push-ups, your chest goes lower than your hand position. This requires significant strength and shoulder stability. It puts more stress on the joint and takes longer time to master. 

Bodybuilders

Deficit push-ups are great for bodybuilders because they increase the muscle’s time under tension (TUT). This refers to how long a muscle actively works during an exercise. It’s important for muscle growth, which is one of the most important aspects of bodybuilding. 

The deeper range in deficit push-ups extends the time the muscles stay engaged, leading to greater chest activation. But how many push-ups are too many for muscle growth? Follow our recommendation of 12–15 reps around twice a week. This will improve your chest and triceps development.

Who Should Not Do?

People With Shoulder Issues

Push-ups may worsen shoulder pain, especially with your shoulder raised to the side at 90 degrees. This position can reduce the space under the acromion, depending on the shape of your bone structure. The acromion is a bony part of the shoulder blade that forms the top of the shoulder.

This position may compress the biceps tendon and rotator cuff (supraspinatus). This is referred to as impingement. Deficit push-ups can worsen shoulder issues like this, especially if performed incorrectly with your elbows flared out.

Avoid stressing your shoulders until your pain eases. Consult with a healthcare professional for exercise advice. Additionally, keep your shoulders at a 60-degree angle during deficit push-ups to avoid re-injury.

Those New To Push-Ups

Those who have limited upper-body strength or have never done push-ups should avoid the deficit variation. That’s because it requires you to push yourself up from a deeper position than your hands are placed in. This requires significant shoulder, chest, and triceps strength. 

Instead, use kneeling or regular variations, to begin with, then progress to deficit push-ups.

Benefits Of The Deficit Push-Up

Builds Strength

One of the benefits of push-ups is increased muscle thickness, particularly in the triceps and chest. They also increase maximum strength, measured by the 1-repetition maximum (1RM). One rep max is the maximum weight you can lift for one complete repetition of an exercise.

This suggests, that performing deficit push-ups can also effectively build strength when performed with appropriate resistance. It’s also a great alternative to weightlifting exercises for building strength at home.

Increases Power

Floor push-ups improved arm muscle power, which was measured by how much farther participants could throw a medicine ball. Floor push-ups led to an average increase of 101 cm in throwing distance. In comparison, wall push-ups increased it by only 35.88 cm. This suggests that the increased intensity and range of movement in deficit push-ups can similarly improve muscle power.

 It engages the muscles for longer and the deficit creates greater resistance. Therefore, incorporating deficit push-ups into an athlete’s training routine can lead to better performance in sports.

Increases Range Of Motion

Resistance training, including exercises like deficit push-ups, can improve joint range of motion. That’s because deficit push-ups involve placing your hands on an elevated surface. This requires the shoulders and elbows to go through a greater range of movement.

This improves flexibility and mobility similar to stretching. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are deficit push-ups effective?

Deficit push-ups effectively target the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core through a bigger range of movement. Therefore, they are effective in increasing strength and muscle size in the upper body.

What muscles do deficit push-ups target?

Deficit push-ups target the pecs, deltoids, triceps, abs, and core. Additionally, they engage the serratus anterior muscle that stabilizes the shoulder blade during pushing and pulling movements.

How many reps for deficit push-ups?

The number of deficit push-ups depends on your goals: do four sets of five reps for strength or over 20 reps for endurance. Maintain proper form to prevent injuries.

When should I do deficit push-ups?

You can start your workout with push-ups to maximize performance. Pair them with other exercises for greater muscle gains. Alternatively, add them as a finisher to fully exhaust your muscles at the end of your session.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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