Pike Push-up

How to perform it

1. 1Preparation and positioning. Use stable parallettes or a non-slip floor, clear a fall zone, and warm wrists and shoulders. Set the feet on a stable surface only if the variation is feet-elevated.
2. 2Starting position. Lift the hips into an inverted-V, keep the elbows extended, and place the head between the arms so the torso is as vertical as the chosen regression permits.
3. 3Eccentric phase. Bend the elbows under control and lower the head/shoulders along the prescribed path. Keep forearms near vertical and avoid an uncontrolled elbow flare or shoulder collapse.
4. 4Bottom position. Reach the fixed head or shoulder-depth marker lightly, without bouncing or transferring body weight to the head.
5. 5Concentric phase / lockout. Press through the hands, extend the elbows, and finish tall through the shoulders. Maintain the chosen body line rather than using a sudden lumbar arch or leg kick.
6. 6Breathing and bracing. Brace before the descent, breathe in a controlled pattern between difficult phases, and do not extend a set after breath-holding compromises balance.
7. 7Valid rep. A rep starts and finishes at stable elbow extension, reaches the same safe depth, and contains no head bounce, uncontrolled fall, unplanned wall/foot contact, or change in support height.

Common mistakes

• Losing wrist–forearm alignment

  Fix: Stack the wrist over the forearm and adjust grip, handle, or range before adding load.

• Elbows escaping the intended path

  Fix: Use a repeatable elbow angle that keeps forearms supportive and shoulders controlled.

• Creating range with the lower back

  Fix: Keep ribcage over pelvis and stop at the shoulder range you can own.

• Bouncing or dropping the bottom

  Fix: Lower under control to a fixed marker and reverse without rebound.

Safety

• Use only a pain-free overhead range you can control; current shoulder symptoms or marked side-to-side loss of motion require individualized assessment rather than forcing the textbook position.
• Choose a load, range, and setup that permit a controlled return or exit; stop the set rather than compensating through sharp or progressively worsening symptoms.

Progressions & alternatives

• regressionIncline Pike Push-up— Reduce strength, balance, or coordination demand while rehearsing the key pattern before returning to Pike Push-up.
• progressionFeet-elevated Pike Push-up— Increase load, range, instability, or skill demand after Pike Push-up is repeatable through the planned volume with reserve and no technique drift.
• alternativeSeated Dumbbell Shoulder Press— Train a similar primary pattern with a different stability, equipment, or joint-loading profile when Pike Push-up is impractical or poorly tolerated.
• prerequisiteChest-to-wall Handstand Hold— Use stable performance of Pike Push-up as one prerequisite before introducing the more demanding referenced skill; it is not the only readiness criterion.