Forearm Push-Up

Push-up is a popular calisthenic exercise that many gymgoers program into their workouts to strengthen their upper bodies. Different variations can be selected to target different muscles. 

Forearm push-up is an alternative for those seeking enhanced tricep muscle activation. In this variation, you maintain a narrow hand positioning and lower down onto your forearms at the bottom. 

Read on to learn how to the add forearm push-up into your workout to build stronger and leaner triceps!

How To Do

  1. Place yourself in a high plank position with your shoulders directly above your wrists. Your hands should be placed slightly narrower than in a traditional push-up. Your spine should be in a neutral (flat) position. This is your starting position.
  2. Inhale and slowly bend your elbows to lower your body down to the floor. Keep your elbows tucked in close to your sides and your core tight and engaged.
  3. Continue to lower yourself to the floor until your forearms nearly touch the ground. Pause briefly at the bottom.
  4. Exhale as you straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

Tips From Expert

  • Keep your elbows tucked the entire time to emphasize tricep activation.
  • Ensure your hands are placed a bit narrower than during a traditional push-up. Narrow hand positioning is another strategy for tricep activation.
  • Maintain a tight core throughout the exercise. This helps prevent your lower back from arching, which can lead to pain and injuries.
  • Focus on your breathing for improved endurance, stability, and form. Inhale on the descent and exhale on the ascent.
  • Complete the exercise with a slow and controlled tempo. This helps recruit your muscles to do the work instead of relying on momentum.

Optimal Sets and Reps

Forearm push-ups can be incorporated into a variety of different training styles. The graph below illustrates the optimal ranges for sets and reps to best align with your goals.

Training Type Sets Reps
Strength Training 3–5 4–6
Hypertrophy 3–4 8–10
Endurance Training 3–4 12+
Power Training 3–5 1–3 (Explosive)
Optimal Sets & Reps of Forearm Push-Up

How to Put in Your Workout Split

Forearm push-ups can be incorporated into a variety of different training styles.

How many push-ups are too many? This will depend on your goals. Different training styles will feature different loads of weights, sets, and repetitions. Your training style will determine how closely you will work to your one repetition maximum. This is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for one repetition with good form.

The bulleted list below outlines how to best program this exercise into your split:

  • Strength Training: To promote optimal strength gains, Select a lower repetition range. You should work within 80%–100% of your 1RM for 3–5 sets.
  • Hypertrophy Training: Select a moderate repetition range. You should work within 60%–80% of your 1RM for 3–4 sets.
  • Endurance Training: Select a high repetition range. You should work below 60% of your 1RM for 3–4 sets.
  • Power Training: This form of training emphasizes explosive power. The repetition range will be very low due to the force required with explosive movements. Your 1RM will be variable depending on your fitness level, age, and sex.

Primary Muscle Groups

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.

Triceps Lateral Heads

The lateral heads are located on the outside of the posterior upper arm, further away from the body center. The lateral heads help us complete pushing movements and contribute the most to the visible shape of the triceps.

During forearm push-ups, the lateral heads play a large role in the static hold and ascent. They contract to help prevent your body from collapsing and propel you up to the starting position.

You can emphasize the triceps by placing your hands closer together in a push-up.

Triceps Medial Heads

The medial heads of the triceps are on the inside of the arm, closer to the torso. They are the smallest and deepest of the three tricep heads. They play an important role in arm stability and smaller movements that generate less force.

In a forearm push-up, the main role of the triceps medial heads is to help stabilize the arms at the elbow joint. Because they are primarily active during overhead motions, they play a minimal role in the motion but are pivotal for stabilization. This allows you to complete the exercise with proper form across the full range of motion.

Triceps Long Heads

The long heads of the triceps run from the shoulders to the elbow and are the largest of the three heads. Because they cross both the shoulder and elbow joint, they have a dual role of elbow and shoulder extension. This means they help straighten the elbow and bring the arm down from a raised position.

In a forearm push-up, this multifaceted role of the triceps long heads is no different. These heads help us straighten the arm and also stabilize the shoulder joint. Similar to the lateral heads, they are most active during the ascent.

Secondary 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.

Erector Spinae

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

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.

Anterior Deltoid

Muscles located at the front of your shoulder region

Clavicular Head of Pectoralis Major

The clavicular head is at the top of the upper chest. It primarily assists with shoulder flexion. During forearm push-ups, it contracts during the pushing phase. This helps you maintain stability and strength as you lift your chest upwards.

Sternal Head of Pectoralis Major

The sternal head is positioned in the mid-chest, attached to the sternum. Its primary role is shoulder adduction.

In a forearm push-up, the sternal head is most active during the pushing phase. Here, the muscles contract and shorten to pull the upper arms inward, helping to lift your body off the ground.

Out of all three heads, the sternal head is the most active during all push-up variations.

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major

The abdominal head is near the upper abdominals, below the clavicular and sternal heads. It plays a role in shoulder adduction and shoulder extension (pulling the arm downward).

While the abdominal head does most of its work on the descent, it also supports the chest during the push-up movement.

Anterior Deltoid

The anterior deltoid is on the front of the shoulder. It is one of three different heads of the deltoid muscle. It works alongside the lateral and posterior heads to move the arm in different directions and stabilize the shoulder joint.

In a forearm push-up, the anterior deltoid plays a role in shoulder flexion and stabilization. It works closely with the pectoralis to provide support.

Upper Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis is our six-pack muscle. There is an upper and lower portion. The upper rectus abdominis sits below the ribcage, and its primary role is spinal flexion (bending forward).

Do push-ups work abs? Yes. In a forearm push-up, the upper rectus abdominis plays a stabilizing role by controlling spinal flexion. This prevents the lower back from arching.

Lower Rectus Abdominis

The lower rectus abdominis sits above the pelvis. Its primary role is to stabilize the pelvis. It plays a lesser role in spinal flexion.

In a forearm push-up, the lower rectus abdominis helps maintain a neutral spine position.

Obliques

The obliques are on the sides of the abdomen. They are divided into the external, internal, and transverse obliques. The primary role of the obliques is to facilitate torso rotation and stabilize the core and spine.

In a forearm push-up, the obliques help keep the torso stable by preventing the hips from shifting too much. They also help keep the spine neutral.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae is a group of muscles running along the sides of the spine. Their primary function is to help you stand up straight (spinal extension).

In a forearm push-up, these muscles help maintain spinal alignment and torso stability.

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.

Diamond Push-Up

Overhead Triceps Stretch

Chair Tricep Dip

Close-Grip Push-Up

Crab Walk

Knee Diamond Push-Up

Side Lying Tricep Press

Tricep Dip On Bench

Knee Close-Grip Push-Up

Wall Tricep Press

Alternatives

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

Ez Bar Lying Triceps Extension

Triceps Dip

Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

Dumbbell Skull Crusher

Cable Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdown

Ring Dip

Cable Tricep Pushdown

Overhead Cable Tricep Extension

Rope Tricep Extension

Dumbbell Close-Grip Press

Who Should Do?

Regular Gym-Goers, Athletes And Bodybuilders

Whether you’re a regular gym-goer, an athlete, or a bodybuilder, forearm push-ups have a place in your workout programming. As discussed above, this exercise can be included in a variety of different training styles to achieve specific outcomes.

Improving your upper body strength and conditioning through forearm push-ups can promote a healthier, well-rounded physique. For the general gym-goer, this is often their primary goal. 

When programmed correctly, athletes will find forearm push-ups to increase their strength and explosive power. Bodybuilders will reap the hypertrophy benefits of forearm push-ups, leading to a leaner physique. 

All of these different population groups can appreciate this exercise for its simplicity and effectiveness. 

Individuals Looking For A Convenient, Accessible Exercise

In this day and age, many individuals have opted to complete home workouts to save themselves time and money. Luckily, forearm push-ups can be completed anywhere. You don’t need a gym membership or any special equipment, which makes them both convenient and accessible.

This exercise also has functional benefits. Push-ups mimic everyday activities such as opening a door or pushing a grocery cart. People may find that consistent forearm push-ups help them complete everyday activities with increased ease.

Who Should Not Do?

Individuals With Upper Body Injuries

Upper body injuries can significantly impact mobility and functionality. While forearm push-ups help develop upper body strength, this is a strategy for injury prevention. In the case of existing injuries, forearm push-ups may aggravate pain and lead to slower recovery.

Forearm push-ups may be particularly difficult for injured people to complete. This is because they involve many parts of the upper body, from the wrists all the way to the shoulders. As a calisthenic exercise, you have to support your own body weight to complete a forearm push-up. This places significant demands on your muscles, bones, and joints.

Post-Surgical Patients

Recovery from surgery often requires rest and modifications to your current exercise routine. If you are a post-surgical patient, it is best to avoid forearm push-ups until you have obtained medical clearance. This can come from a doctor or a physical therapist.

You should slowly re-incorporate forearm push-ups into your routine once you have obtained medical clearance. 

Benefits Of The Forearm Push-Up

Builds Strength

Building strength is one of the many benefits of push-ups. Strength is built by progressively increasing the difficulty of your resistance training. Your muscles adapt to the increased stimuli and grow back stronger and more resilient. 

Research shows that all variations of the push-up promote strength gains. When programmed correctly, forearm push-ups will promote strength gains to the upper body and core.

Strength during push-ups can also be a predictor of strength during other exercises. A 2020 study shows that push-up ability is a cost-effective and simple strategy for predicting bench press 1RM.

Increases Muscle Definition

Muscle definition can be increased by resistance training with an emphasis on hypertrophy and progressive overload. However, if you carry excess body fat, you should also focus on a lower-calorie, high-protein diet and cardio.

In conjunction with these factors discussed above, forearm push-ups can promote increased muscle definition to the upper body and core.

For optimal hypertrophy (muscle gain), focus on completing this exercise with moderate repetitions and intensity. Aim to work within 60%–80% of your 1RM.

Improves Muscular Endurance 

Muscular endurance is the ability to complete a high volume of repetitions without fatigue. Individuals with high muscular endurance are often successful at cardiovascular exercises like running and swimming. Endurance gains can be seen by focusing on higher repetitions with a focus on prolonged effort.

Research shows that poor endurance during push-ups can be a predictor of injury risk. This is just one of the reasons it is so important to work on developing your muscular endurance through push-ups.

To best improve your muscular endurance during forearm push-ups, focus on completing a high amount of repetitions. Your time under tension will be greater than in any other training modality, such as strength or hypertrophy. This will allow your muscles to withstand greater training volumes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are forearm push-ups good for?

Forearm push-ups are a calisthenic exercise that emphasizes tricep muscle activation. They work multiple different muscle groups and do not require a gym or any equipment. They are a convenient and effective exercise that sculpts your upper body and core.

What muscles do forearm push-ups work?

Forearm push-ups feature the triceps brachii muscle as the primary mover. The secondary muscles worked include the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, rectus abdominis, obliques, and erector spinae.

How many reps of forearm push-ups?

The repetition range for forearm push-ups will depend on your goals. For strength, focus on lower reps. For hypertrophy, take a moderate approach to reps. For endurance, focus on higher reps. For power, focus on lower reps with explosive movements.

When should I do forearm push-ups?

You can do forearm push-ups virtually anywhere! This exercise is accessible, meaning you do not need a gym membership to complete it.

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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