Drop and give me… 82? That's right. We at Greatist love — nay, adore — thepush-up. It's one of the simplest and most functional exercises around, and it works almost every muscle we've got: the triceps and chest get a great workout, but the movement also engages the shoulders, core, lats, lower back, legs, and glutes.
Doing the same old push-ups day in and day out can feel a little vanilla, so we're here to shake things up. Variety can supercharge a workout and throw a whole range of new muscles into the mix. Ever tried a spiderman push-up (see No. 15 below!)? How about an alligator (No. 13) or a jackknife push-up (No. 34)? There might be no end to the different spins (and cool names) we can give this classic exercise, but we've done our best to bring you as many as we could find, arranged into five categories: beginner, intermediate, explosive, wxpert, and equipment-based. Just be sure to spend some time perfecting your form andnailing the basics before you jump into the variations that require increased strength, coordination, and balance.
BEGINNER PUSH-UPS
1. Off the Wall
This is the first step on the path to push-up dominance. It's basically a standing push-up done against a wall, which greatly reduces the amount of weight the muscles have to support.
2. Off a Table
The trick to building up to a standard push-up is to start from the wall and gradually get more horizontal. Push off of a table or chair on your way down, and you'll be there in no time.
3. On the Knees
Nearly there! This is identical to a regular push-up, but performed on the hands and knees, with the feet raising off the ground as the push-up goes to the floor. This takes a lot of the work away from the abs and legs, making it a great way to practice for the real thing.
4. Standard
Congratulations! This is the real McCoy, one of the most fundamental bodyweight exercises on earth. Treat the push-up with respect, and it'll be a friend for life.
5. Shoulder Tap
This is great for all the same reasons as the hand tap push-up, but it's a slightly longer hold that's better for improving balance.
6. Hand Tap
Pause at the top of the push-up and use one hand to give the other a friendly tap. Switch hands with each rep. That brief pause helps improve balance and makes the exercise more isometric, which is a great way to boost strength.
7. Rotational
This involves rotating the body into a side plank when the push-up is completed, holding the upper arm straight in the air so that the body resembles a "T." This works the shoulders and oblique muscles while also helping to improve balance.
8. Thigh Tap
Tap, tap, taparoo! A tap to the outer thigh at the top of the push-up will help to strengthen those stabilizing muscles while giving the tricep one more extension for the road.
9. Single-Arm Raised
It's all about isometrically strengthening the stabilizer muscles, and by sweeping the arm out in front at the top of the extension, this variation makes it much more difficult to balance, so the core gets a nice workout.
10. Single-Leg Raised
This isn't as crazy as it sounds! Perform a push-up, but extend one leg off of the ground so that it's parallel with the floor. This adds some extra instability and recruits your abs for extra balance.
INTERMEDIATE PUSH-UPS
11. Knuckle
A favorite of martial artists everywhere, these bad boys strengthen the wrist, toughen the knuckles, and improve balance.
12. Staggered
By staggering the hands (that is, by placing one hand farther forward than the other), one is able to emphasize one side of the chest — a super useful variation for those whose strength is lagging on their non-dominant side.
13. Alligator
Some people use this name for staggered push-ups, but we're using it to refer to a staggered push-up that walks the body forward, just like an alligator crawling along the ground. Have fun with these!
14. Slow Negative
This one's simple: Lower the body very slowly, but keep the "up" part of the movement as fast as ever. This is called a "slow negative" movement, and it's one of the best ways to build size and strength in any exercise.
15. Spiderman
This push-up brings out your creepy crawly side: Bring one knee up the side of the body toward the elbow during the "down" portion. This squeezes the obliques and will improve balance. Keep the knee in the same spot for a few reps before switching sides or bring it forward and back for each push-up.
16. Knee to Chest
This movement is similar to the spiderman push-up, but the knee is brought up under the body, rather than around the side, so the abdominal muscles are worked more than the obliques. The name is a lot less cool though.
17. Pseudo Planche
A regular push-up has the fingers pointing forward and in line with the chest, but this variation has them pointing toward the feet and sitting a little farther down the torso. This hand placement makes the shoulders and biceps work much harder.
18. Outside-Leg Kick
Hi-ya! At the top of the extension, kick one leg out to the side hard to strengthen the quads, fire up the abs, and improve flexibility. Try to get the foot as far forward as possible.
19. Grasshopper
There's actually no hopping involved with this one — it's similar to a corkscrew push-up (No. 18) but one leg stays straight while the other bends and turns with the body as it lowers. This is a great way to work the obliques and abdominal muscles.
20. With Toe Tap
At the top of the movement, simply bend one knee to the side and bring the foot closer to the hip, then give the sole a tap with the opposite hand. This will give some extra work to the abs and legs.
21. Knee-to-Opposite-Elbow
Like it sounds: twist the body and bring a knee to the opposite elbow at the top of the movement. This is another great move to work the rotational muscles that run from the rib cage to the hips — yep, that includes the abs!
No wine with these push-ups (though maybe a little whine). They're performed with the butt raised in the air, the feet together, hands under the chest, and the knees bent at about 45 degrees. The torso should be parallel to the ground at the top of the movement. As the body comes down to the ground, twist both legs sideways without further bending the knees, as shown in the video. This adds a whole new dimension to the abdominal workout while also working the quads and calves.
23. Diamond
This is the gold diamond standard of tricep exercises. Simply put the hands together so that the thumbs and index fingers form a diamond, place the hands below the center of the chest, and start busting out reps.
24. Wide
Place the hands placed farther out to the side of the body than they are for a regular push-up and you'll put a lot more emphasis on the chest muscles, particularly the outer chest.
25. Cross-Leg Kick
This is even trickier than the outside-leg kick push-up (No. 18). At the top of the movement, turn the body to the side and kick. For example, the left leg should kick toward the right of the body. This will add some explosive power to the legs and obliques while firing up the core.
26. Tiger
At the bottom of the push-up, flatten the forearms to the ground while raising the butt into the air and pulling the body slightly backward. This should look a little like a tiger ready to pounce. Reverse the movement and push up. Congratulate the triceps for all their hard work.
27. Elbow
This is just like the tiger push-up (No. 26) but the body stays parallel to the ground at the bottom of the movement, so the butt doesn't raise into the air. It's a little harder, but you feel less like roaring.
28. Pike
Pike push-ups could be a category all of their own; they're one of the best bodyweight exercises for the shoulders. Raise the butt into the air so the body forms a triangle with the ground. It looks a little like the downward dog, but the arms are more perpendicular to the ground. This is a fantastic way to work up to ahandstand push-up — just gradually elevate the legs!
29. Feet Elevated
Just prop the toes on a chair, bedframe, or even a stability ball. This adds bodyweight to the exercise and emphasizes the upper chest muscles.
30. Lateral Step
Time to get mobile! This push-up steps the body sideways across the floor and requires a little more coordination and agility.
31. Typewriter
Also called side-to-side push-ups, these require lowering the body to one side (so the chest is close to the hand) and then sliding the body over to the other hand, keeping the body just above the floor, then pushing up from that side. Come back down, slide the body over to the right, and push back up. To make these more difficult, slide left and right a few extra times before pushing back up.
32. Single-Leg Raised
Raise one leg in the air during the exercise without bending it. This is a great way to help strengthen the glutes and hamstrings.
33. Uchi Mata
Similar to the single-leg raised push-up (No. 32), but bend the knee and push the foot up into the air as hard as possible when the body lowers. This variationincreases the activity of the lower back, hamstrings, and core.
34. Jackknife
Bend the hips and jump both feet forward at each extension to work the abs and legs.
35. Single-Arm Off of a Table
The best way to work up to a one-armed push-up is the same way one would work up to a regular push-up: Start by pushing off of a wall, then move to an elevated surface like a table or chair. Keep the feet wide and the core engaged — even when elevated, this move requires considerable work from the obliques and triceps.
36. Isometric Push-Up
Welcome to your new plank! In the bottom of the push-up, hold the body just above the ground. Start by holding it a few seconds at a time and and work up to a minute.
For all 82 push-up variations, go to Greatist.com.
