StrengthIntermediateShouldersChestTriceps
Movement atlas
Pike Push-up
Pompe en V (Pike)
Quick read
- Category
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Primary muscles
- Shoulders, Triceps
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
Description
Start in a pike position with hips lifted high and hands on the floor. Bend your elbows to lower your head toward the ground, then extend your arms to press back up to the starting pike position.
From reference to session
Start a quick session with this exercise.
Open a prefilled session, keep the cues close, and track what you complete in Shapier.
Instructions
- 1Set the hands shoulder-width apart, grip the floor with the fingers, and lift the hips into an inverted V.
- 2Brace the trunk, keep the heels light, and look toward the space between the hands rather than the feet.
- 3Inhale as the elbows bend and the crown travels toward the floor slightly in front of the hands.
- 4Use only the range in which the shoulders stay controlled and no pain appears.
- 5Exhale while pressing the floor away, straightening the arms, and returning the head between the arms without dropping the hips.
Common Mistakes
- Turning it into a horizontal push-up: raise the hips and direct the crown just ahead of the hands.
- Flaring the elbows wide: keep them tracking diagonally instead of at a right angle to the torso.
- Chasing depth after control is lost: shorten the range or elevate the hands on a stable support.
Tips
- Keep actively pushing the floor throughout the repetition.
- Control the lowering phase and end the set before the hips begin to drop.
Equipment
Bodyweight
Primary muscles
- Shoulders
- Triceps
Secondary muscles
- Chest
- Abs
Breathing
Inhale during the lowering phase and exhale while pressing. Keep breathing steadily instead of deliberately holding the breath to force a difficult repetition.
Programming guide
A starting frame, not an individual prescription: 2–3 sets of 5–10 clean repetitions with 90–120 seconds of rest. Keep one or two repetitions in reserve and regress as soon as alignment changes.
Adjust the difficulty
Regression: place the hands on a stable support or use a less vertical hip angle. Progression: elevate the feet, then consider an assisted handstand push-up only after the path and shoulders stay stable.
Safety and limits
Muscular effort is expected; sharp, worsening, or joint pain is not. Stop, reduce the range, or choose an easier variation. Seek qualified guidance before continuing when pain persists, a previous injury changes the movement, or a health condition affects exercise safety.
Sources and review
Shapier editorial review
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Progressions
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Regressions
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