Push-Up to Shoulder Tap

The push-up is a foundational bodyweight exercise that forms a staple part of many chest workout routines. Whatever your exercise goal, it can likely help you. 

The push-up to shoulder tap is a dynamic push-up variation. It integrates the foundational push-up movement with a shoulder tap. With this, it requires more muscle strength, coordination, and core stability.

We discuss everything you need to know about this useful push-up variation below.

How To Do

  1. Start in a tabletop position with your hands and knees touching the floor. This should be on a padded surface or mat if possible. Use a shoulder-width arm position with your hands pointing slightly outward.
  2. Bring your legs straight back and come onto the balls of your feet. Assume a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders. There should be a straight line from your head to your heels.
  3. Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and flex your elbows, allowing your body to come down to the floor. Pause briefly at the bottom position as it comes close.
  4. Inhale and extend your elbows to drive back to the starting position. At the same time, bring one hand off the floor and reach across your body to the opposite shoulder. Touch your shoulder before coming back down to the bottom position.
  5. Repeat the same movement pattern with the opposite hand and shoulder. Perform for the desired sets and repetitions.

Tips From Expert

  • Ensure your hands are shoulder-width apart and your feet are hip-width apart. This helps to keep balance as you perform the shoulder taps.
  • Inhale and engage your core before lowering down. Exhale as you push up and tap your shoulder. 
  • Keep a straight line from your head to your heels. This helps to prevent your hips from sagging and limits lower back stress.
  • The push-up to shoulder tap should be one fluid movement pattern.
  • Keep your head facing down throughout the movement. This helps to reduce neck strain and injury.

Optimal Sets and Reps

The table below shows the ideal sets and reps according to each training style. These can be used to integrate the push-up to shoulder tap into your chest and tricep workout.

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 Push-Up to Shoulder Tap

How to Put in Your Workout Split

The push-up to shoulder tap is a dynamic variation of the normal push-up movement. It uses the traditional movement pattern with an integrated shoulder tap. This requires more strength, coordination, and core stability.

These are our suggested ways to program it:

  • At-Home Bodyweight Circuit — With no equipment requirements, it works well as part of an at-home bodyweight circuit. Use it to improve general fitness, conditioning, and coordination. It works well alongside bodyweight squats and high knees.
  • Upper-Body/Full-Body Training Session — The push-up to shoulder tap works the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Add it to any upper-body or full-body session for more volume. Perform it after weighted compound exercises such as the bench press and pullover.
  • Functional Fitness Routine — Use it as a functional bodyweight exercise to improve general mobility. Perform it alongside other functional movements such as the overhead press and squat.

A minimum training volume of 10 weekly working sets is suggested for muscular hypertrophy. Push-ups may also be integrated daily if you split them into manageable sets.

Use a weighted vest to increase the exercise difficulty. This requires you to push more weight from the floor. As a bodyweight movement, you don’t need to use loading recommendations.

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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 heads are the upper parts of the chest. When performing the push-up to shoulder tap, the clavicular heads flex the shoulders as you come down to the bottom position. This is when your arms are at the front of your body.

During the normal push-up, the pectoralis major shows a high muscle activation rate of 60%. This is a measure of how hard a muscle is working. This was shown across several studies looking at push-up muscle activation.

Sternal Head Of Pectoralis Major

The sternal heads, or middle chest heads, are between the clavicular heads and abdominal heads. As you push up from the bottom position, the sternal heads adduct each arm. One of the arms will touch the shoulder while the other will perform adduction. Therefore, each side gets worked individually in each repetition.

Abdominal Head of Pectoralis Major

The abdominal heads, or lower chest heads, are at the bottom of the chest. They function alongside the sternal heads to adduct the arms. They also extend your arms, bringing them behind the body.

When pushing up from the floor, they adduct the arms one at a time. When coming down to the bottom position, they extend the arms allowing them to come behind the body.

Secondary Muscle Groups

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.

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

Triceps Lateral Heads

The triceps lateral heads are the outer heads of the triceps brachii muscles. They’re only active during resistance and are the strongest of the three heads.

As you push from the bottom position, they extend the elbows. This is as your clavicular and sternal heads flex and adduct the shoulders. During the push-up to shoulder tap, this happens using one arm at a time.

Triceps Medial Heads

The triceps medial heads are located underneath the lateral heads. Unlike the lateral heads, they’re active in all forms of resistance.

During the push-up to shoulder tap, they work alongside the lateral heads to extend the elbows. Like the lateral heads, your medial heads are activated one at a time. One extends the elbow while the other relaxes as you touch your shoulder.

Triceps Long Heads

The triceps long heads are next to the lateral heads above the medial heads. They originate from the scapula, or shoulder blades.

When performing the push-up to shoulder tap, they extend each elbow as you come from the bottom position. They also stabilize the shoulder position, supporting the correct movement pattern.

Anterior Deltoid

The anterior deltoids, or front deltoids, are at the front of the upper arms. They’re one of three deltoid heads that make up the shoulder complex.

As you push from the bottom, your anterior deltoids flex your shoulders to bring them in front. This happens as your tricep extends your elbow while the other arm performs the shoulder tap.

Upper And Lower Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis runs down either side of the middle of your abdomen. They make up part of your core musculature, providing stability and keeping your organs in place.

When performing the push-up to shoulder tap, your upper and lower rectus abdominis work to maintain a stable body position. They prevent your torso from over-flexing or extending, keeping a straight line from your heels to your head.

Obliques

The obliques make up part of the core musculature. They can be grouped into internal and external obliques. They’re found at the sides of the abdomen over the ribcage.

The external obliques are thicker and are on top of the internal obliques. Both of them function to twist and rotate the trunk. When performing the push-up to shoulder tap, they prevent your torso from over-rotating, keeping a stable body position.

Erector Spinae

The erector spinae muscles span the entire length of your spine. They provide core stability, preventing excessive spinal flexion and extension.

During the push-up to shoulder tap, they work alongside the other core muscles to maintain a stable body position. This allows you to keep a straight body position, allowing the primary muscle groups to function correctly.

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

Clap Push-Up

Plyo Push-Up

Chair Chest Dip

Grasshopper Push-Up

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?

Beginner Gymgoers

Beginner gymgoers are at the training phase where they need to develop a solid lifting foundation. During this, they work on strength, balance, coordination, and conditioning. Once these determinants are improved, they can progress to advanced movements.

The push-up to shoulder tap is a push-up variation that provides an added core challenge. While it’s harder than a normal push-up, it uses the same simple movement pattern. 

This makes it a good exercise choice for beginners and intermediates who have started to master normal push-ups and want an added challenge.

Those Without A Gym Membership

Sticking to any exercise routine is hard. It requires hard work, determination, and commitment. Alongside this, certain barriers to exercise need to be navigated when adopting a regular gym routine. 

One of these barriers is the cost of a gym membership. With the cost of living going up, this barrier may become more common.

The push-up to shoulder tap requires no equipment and costs nothing to perform. It can also be done anywhere. This makes it a great exercise for those without a membership or those who can’t afford one. 

Bodybuilders

Bodybuilders perform resistance training to improve their physical appearance. When on stage, they’re judged on muscle size, muscular proportions, and symmetry. 

The chest, shoulders, and triceps make up a large proportion of the upper body musculature. These are the main muscle groups used in the push-up to shoulder tap.

Therefore, bodybuilders can use it as an upper-body bodyweight exercise alongside weighted movements. This can be used to increase training volume and appearance. 

Who Should Not Do?

Anyone With Chronic Shoulder Issues

At the bottom position, the abdominal heads extend the shoulders. As you push to the top position, the clavicular heads and anterior deltoids flex the shoulders. 

Throughout both phases, the shoulders move through large ranges of flexion and extension. Alongside this, the anterior deltoids stabilize the shoulder position as the sternal heads work to adduct the arms.

The shoulders are one of the most commonly injured muscle groups, accounting for 7.4% of all weightlifting injuries. Those with chronic shoulder issues may find the push-up to shoulder tap exercise unsuitable. The large shoulder range of motion and stability needed may not be possible.

Those With Wrist Problems

After bringing your hand to the opposite shoulder, your wrist comes down back to the floor. It works to absorb the impact of your body weight before taking weight from the other arm. 

Those with wrist problems tend to present with wrist weakness and reduced mobility. This includes acute conditions such as wrist strains and chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis. In this case, performing the push-up to shoulder tap may not be suitable.

Benefits Of The Exercise

Builds Core Stability

Core stability can be defined as the ability of your torso to maintain control when standing still and during movement. This is determined by muscular strength, balance, coordination, and posture. 

Regular core strengthening exercises can build core stability. This improves movement efficiency and determinants of performance during activity and exercise. Alongside this, performing more efficient movement patterns can reduce injury risk. 

In the push-up to shoulder tap, the shoulder tap element requires added core strength. While the core is a secondary mover, it plays an important role that is needed for the correct movement patterns.

When done with enough frequency, the push-up to shoulder tap can help to build core stability. This gives you a versatile bodyweight exercise with an added core challenge. 

Improves Muscle Growth

Muscle growth, or muscular hypertrophy, refers to the accumulation of new muscle tissue. 

Changing the main determinants of resistance training allows muscle growth to happen. This helps the body to adapt and grow which is especially important as you move to an intermediate level. 

The main determinants include training volume, intensity, rest, and variety. Out of these, volume is known to be the key determinant of muscle growth. 

The push-up to shoulder tap is quick to perform and requires no equipment. This makes it a great exercise to add alongside the weighted movements to increase training volume.

Use it as a movement at the second half of your training or as a superset. This is where you perform one exercise after another with no rest. Add it as a chest and shoulder workout to your routine.

Increase Functional Strength

Function strength is the ability of the body to perform everyday activities and movements. Functional training uses exercises that mimic the specific demands of these real life activities. 

The push-up to shoulder tap works the chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles. These are involved in several functional movement patterns. Examples include when we open a door or push up from the floor. 

Even during sports, we are constantly performing pushing movements. Fending off an opponent in rugby or grappling with an opponent in martial arts uses the same muscle groups. Within these, core stability is an integral part of the movement patterns we perform. 

With this, the push-up to shoulder tap is a functional bodyweight exercise. When performed with enough volume and intensity, it can increase functional strength. This can be done by adding weight. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What do push-ups to shoulder taps do?

Push-ups to shoulder taps are a versatile bodyweight exercise that builds core stability, improves muscle growth, and increases functional strength. The shoulder tap provides a dynamic core challenge that adds exercise variety to the traditional push-up movement.

What muscles does the push-up to shoulder tap work?

The primary movers are the three heads of the pectoralis major — the clavicular heads, sternal heads, and abdominal heads. The anterior deltoids, triceps brachii, and core musculature perform secondary roles. They stabilize the shoulders, extend the elbows, and provide stability.

When should I do the push-up to shoulder tap?

The push-up to shoulder tap can be integrated into your workout routine depending on your training and exercise goals. Perform them after your weighted compound exercises as part of an upper-body workout. Integrate them into a functional bodyweight movement circuit.

How many push-ups to shoulder taps should I do?

Use the programming table above to find your ideal sets and reps for your training goal. Aim for 50–100 repetitions as a general range if performing them as a stand-alone workout. Ensure you maintain the correct form discussed above.

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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