Pushups are an exercise that targets the chest, arms and shoulders. There are ways to make pushups easier if doing the standard pushup on your toes is too hard. These include dropping to your knees or performing incline pushups with your hands on an object. To make pushups harder though, elevate the feet and do decline pushups. You can choose between different objects to put your feet on based on the equipment available.
Pushups With Feet Elevated on a Bench
Pushups with your feet elevated on a bench is one way to maximize a decline pushup. The height of the bench determines how much of an angle your body makes to the floor. The greater the angle, the more weight your pectoralis major will bear. The pectoralis major is the largest muscle of the chest and the primary muscle that works in this variation of a pushup.
To perform a decline push with your feet on a bench, assume pushup position in front of a bench with your hands shoulder-width apart and your arms straight. Lift your feet one at a time onto the bench so that your weight is on your toes. With your back perfectly straight, bend your elbows to lower your face toward the floor. Then push your arms straight to complete a pushup.
Pushups With Feet Elevated on a Stability Ball
Another way to perform a decline pushup is with your feet on a stability ball. Stability balls come in different sizes so you can somewhat control how high of an elevation you use. However, you will find that smaller balls are even less stable than larger balls, which just means your core has to work harder so you do not fall off. Stability balls are not stable surfaces like exercise benches, so your core will feel like it is working along with your chest, triceps and deltoids.
To perform a decline pushup on a stability ball, place your toes, shins or abdomen on top of stability ball instead of a bench. Space your hands shoulder-width apart and tighten your abs. Otherwise, follow the same instructions for the exercise bench variation.
Pushups With Feet Elevated on a Bosu Ball
A third option to elevate your feet is to place them on a Bosu ball. The Bosu ball is also an unstable surface, like a stability ball. The Bosu ball offers two options for decline pushups; each variation targets your pecs primarily and employs your triceps as secondary muscles, with one working the deltoids, too. If you want to concentrate on your chest and triceps, perform the exercise with the flat side of the Bosu on the floor and your feet on the rounded side. To include your deltoids, turn the Bosu over and place your feet on the flat side. Follow the same instructions as the bench decline pushup with the toes on the Bosu instead.
Advanced Pushups With Feet Elevated
Pushups with your feet elevated are harder than pushups with your feet on the floor because the upper body lifts more of your weight. There is a way to make decline pushups even more challenging though: You can lift one leg off the floor. To perform this variation, place your feet on either a bench or a ball and raise one leg about two inches toward the ceiling. This is just enough distance so that you have only three points of contact, forcing even more weight into your upper body.
References
- Libery-Perry School Corporation: Pushup Decline
- Washington State University: BOSU Decline Push Up (BOSU up)
- Washington State University: BOSU Decline Push Up (BOSU down)
- University of Northern Colorado: Stability Ball Decline Push Up
- University of Connecticut: Push-Up on a Ball (pdf)
- Washington State University: BOSU Advanced Decline Push Up (BOSU down)
