Calisthenics is my go-to training method. It requires little to no equipment, has a short set-up time, and improves body composition. It’s well-suited to my travel lifestyle as I’m always on the go.

I’ve always used push-up variations for the bulk of my training routine. In a separate article, I’ve looked at the benefits of doing push-ups every day for a week. 

Following this success, I’m going to be performing bicep push-ups every day for a month. I’ll perform them over a month with a high training volume and see if I notice any differences. 

Below are my top bicep push-up benefits after a month of performing them!

Doing Bicep Push-Ups Every Day For A Month — My Experience

Before I get into the key changes, I’ve written down my thoughts and feelings as the challenge progressed. This is to give you a better idea of what to expect if you do it for yourself.

Week 1

I perform many push-up variations in my daily training. So, I’m familiar with most of the new ones I try. However, I haven’t really tried this variation much.

If you compare the movement pattern to a traditional push-up, it’s actually quite a small difference. You point your hands out and keep your elbows tucked in. With this, you perform a bodyweight curl as you lower to the floor.

Before I started the challenge, I wanted to get used to the general movement. I did a quick warm-up consisting of a treadmill run and dynamic upper-body stretches. 

It took me a couple of sets to get used to the hand position while keeping my elbows tucked. One thing I noticed is that I needed to focus more on controlling the movement. This stopped my elbows from moving out of position and kept the focus on my biceps and chest.

My goal for this week is to get used to the movement and successfully integrate it into my routine. I’ll start by performing them for four days each week, doing three sets of 20 repetitions in each. Once I’ve perfected the movement, I’ll increase the volume and intensity. 

On that note, if you’re thinking about how many push-ups should I be able to do, check out this breakdown.

Week 2 

At the start of week two, I’m pretty happy with week one’s progress. I feel like I’ve gotten used to the general movement. I’m enjoying the more controlled nature of keeping my arms in and hands positioned correctly. 

I didn’t think I would find this variation much harder than the normal one. However, to my surprise, I’m really feeling my upper chest and biceps.

With no real struggles in week one, I’ve decided to increase my volume to three sets of 25 repetitions. I feel like this will provide the right amount of progressive overload needed to push myself to the next level. I’ll keep the weekly workout frequency the same, performing the sessions to fit around my traveling schedule. 

If this week goes well, I’ll increase the intensity in week three.

Week 3 

Week two was definitely harder due to the increased volume. However, I’m still confident that I can push things even further. These bicep push-ups have been my main bicep exercise so I feel the volume is good for what I need.

One thing I’m noticing is that I feel more functional. Even though I regularly perform push-ups, this variation offers a welcome change. It’s helping me focus more on my body positioning and core stability.

Alongside this, I feel like I can already see a difference in my bicep definition. I guess after three weeks, this could be the case. 

I know my bicep strength and endurance have improved. The strict position is teaching me to work on my bicep mind-muscle connection. This helps with activation and, therefore, muscle growth.

For the last week, I’m going to keep the volume the same but add a weighted vest to provide a bigger intensity for muscular strength. My goal for the last week is to perform three sets of 25 repetitions. 

Week 4

I knew it would be hard. However, it was much harder than I thought. Even with my experience, this high-volume, high-intensity work really provided a great challenge. 

My cardiovascular system felt like it was getting a good workout. Even my metabolism felt better as I got towards the end of the week.

I struggled a little bit towards the end of the sets to keep perfect form. The form deviations weren’t enough to stop but I did have to adjust a few times. With this, I would say that I’ve completed the challenge successfully and enjoyed some noticeable differences along the way.

One thing I didn’t expect was an improvement in my posture. Even though my biceps did most of the work, my chest, shoulders, and core also played a role. Strengthening these by using a different push-up variation helped me control my body position out of the gym. 

I think this is because I knew that I needed to keep a tight body position. Without this, I wouldn’t keep the correct exercise focus.

Results And Key Changes 

These are the key results and changes I experienced after a month of bicep push-ups. You may see similar results and changes with consistent performance using the technique guide below. 

My Bicep Strength, Endurance, And Definition Improved

I have a big chest and back but have always struggled with bicep size. I wanted to try bicep push-ups to see if the increased volume and isolation would improve them.

The hand and elbow positions really challenged my biceps. By week three, I felt a big difference in my bicep endurance and definition. Firstly, my biceps just looked better, especially in a baggy t-shirt. I feel like they’re more in line with my chest size now. 

In terms of bicep strength, my normal bicep strength isn’t too bad. That’s why I felt a bit frustrated that their size didn’t match up. However, even my bicep strength improved. I felt stronger performing my usual pull-up movements, even though I regularly do them.

I guess this shows that using exercise variations to target different parts of your muscle does work.

It Helped With My Postural Awareness

As I’ve mentioned in other articles, my posture is something I always try to focus on. Years of seated work mean I have to make sure I’m not putting too much pressure on my back. 

Bicep push-ups don’t really focus on posture. However, you do need to slow the movement down and pay attention to core stability to keep a stable position.

Because of this, I had a better awareness of my body positions at the end of the month. I also found myself thinking more about engaging my core in other exercises even when requiring less stability. This improved my general postural awareness and some low back pain symptoms.

My Joints Felt Stronger

Your joints are where two bones meet to allow movement. Even though I tend not to have any joint issues, I still make sure my joints are strong. I do this by performing regular exercise and maintaining a good diet.

Bicep push-ups place a fair amount of pressure on your elbows and wrists. This means you need to focus on the correct technique cues. However, this also means consistent performance will improve joint strength and function.

At the end of the four weeks, my wrist and elbow joints felt stronger and more functional. With this, I think it’s good to perform general exercises with targeted exercises in between. It allows well-rounded development while also developing other important aspects.

My Functional Fitness Felt Great

Functional fitness refers to doing exercises that improve performance in everyday tasks. Good functional fitness means you’re able to execute basic movement patterns with good mobility. 

My functional fitness is generally good. I perform a lot of calisthenic training, which consists of functional bodyweight movements.

Despite this, adding the bicep push-ups into my routine made a difference. The slight change in weight distribution and lever length provided an added functional challenge. 

My functional fitness felt better than ever! I’ll certainly be considering it as part of my future routines.

It Boosted My Metabolism

Metabolism is an important process that’s constantly taking place in the body. It breaks down nutrients, rebuilds, and repairs body tissues, and helps to remove toxins. Increasing it can make these processes more efficient. 

I found that even as a bodyweight movement, bicep push-ups challenged my cardiovascular fitness. This was especially the case when I added the weighted vest. The increased exercise intensity and high volume were enough to achieve this.

At the end of the challenge, I felt more efficient at burning energy because of the challenging stimulus it provided. This means bicep push-ups can be a great addition when included in a well-rounded routine. 

How To Do A Bicep Push-Up

Now that you’ve learned about my experiences and benefits, here are the technique cues I used throughout the challenge. Using the correct exercise technique is important to ensure target muscle focus. 

How To Do

1. Set up next to a mat or padded area. Assume a tabletop position similar to how you would in a normal push-up. Your hands and knees should be on the ground with your shoulders over your hands.
2. Bring your legs back straight with your feet together. You should be on the balls of your feet.
3. With your arms hip-width apart, bring your hands back to lower chest height. Point your hands out to your sides while keeping your elbows in.
4. Keep a straight line from your head to your heels. Focus on a point on the ground in front of you. 
5. Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and bend your elbows to come down to the ground. Keep your elbows tucked in. 
6. Pause briefly at the bottom position before your chest touches the floor. 
7. Inhale and push through your hands to return to the starting position. 

Tips

• Keep Your Elbows Tucked In — Keeping your elbows tucked into your sides ensures target focus on the biceps brachii. Focus on their position for both phases of the movement. Stop and reassess your form if you notice your elbows flaring. 
• Maintain Core Engagement — The change in weight distribution adds more instability. Maintaining core engagement allows you to keep a stable body position. 
• Perform A Suitable Warm-Up — The wrist position increases the amount of wrist stress compared to the normal push-up. Approximately 20.4% of CrossFit athletes reported a hand or wrist injury. Ensure you perform some dynamic wrist stretches before your push-ups. 
• Maintain A Neutral Neck Position — Avoid letting your neck extend or tucking your chin. Focus on a point in front of you as you perform both movement phases. 

Final Thoughts

I’m sure most of you know about push-up variations, even if you don’t regularly use them. However, the bicep push-up is a variation that often flies under the radar. 

After four weeks of performing them, I can say for sure they deserve more attention. They provide a great way to isolate the biceps while working the chest and shoulders. 

Add them to your routine and see what you think! 

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