What if I cannot keep my legs straight?

If you have tight hamstrings, it is acceptable to slightly bend your knees or elevate your heels. The priority is maintaining the inverted V shape and the vertical pressing angle.

How do I make the exercise harder?

You can increase the difficulty by elevating your feet on a bench or box. This shifts more of your bodyweight onto your shoulders and mimics the mechanics of a handstand push up.

Are pike push ups better than regular push ups?

Neither is better, as they target different muscles. While standard push ups focus on the chest, pike push ups emphasize the shoulders and upper chest.

How to Do Pike Push Ups: Form, Benefits, and Guide

Learn how to perform pike push ups with perfect form. This bodyweight shoulder exercise builds strength and prepares you for handstand push ups.

How to Perform

Begin in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width and your feet together.
Walk your feet toward your hands while keeping your legs straight until your body forms an inverted V shape.
Shift your weight forward onto your toes and look toward your feet to keep your spine neutral.
Lower your head toward the floor in front of your fingertips by bending your elbows back at a forty-five-degree angle.
Pause briefly when your head is just above the floor, ensuring your forearms remain vertical.
Press through your palms to return to the starting position by fully extending your arms.

Common Mistakes

Flaring elbows out horizontally which stresses the shoulder joints
Lowering the head directly between the hands instead of forward
Bending the knees or rounding the lower back during the movement
Looking forward at the floor rather than back toward the legs

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

Shoulders

Stabilizers

Triceps
Upper Chest
Serratus Anterior

Related Guides

Shoulders · Chest