The Incline Push Up is a beginner-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the chest, with the triceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesChest
Secondary musclesTriceps
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Incline Push Up
Place your hands on a bench or sturdy box, slightly wider than shoulder-width, with arms straight.
Walk your feet back until your body forms a long line from your head to your heels.
Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your hips don't sag or lift through the rep.
Lower your chest toward the bench by bending your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your torso.
Stop just before your chest touches the bench, then press through your palms back to the start.
Lock out the arms at the top with your shoulder blades spread, then start the next rep.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds chest, triceps, and front-shoulder strength at a beginner-friendly load.
Provides a clear progression path toward a floor push-up.
Reinforces full-body bracing in the push-up position.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Flaring the elbows out wide, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
Letting the hips sag toward the bench, which removes core tension and overloads the lower back.
Cutting the range short by lowering only halfway, which skips the deepest chest work.
Looking up and craning the neck instead of keeping the head in line with the spine.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Incline Push Up, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
