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    Home » Fitness Tips For Moms

    The Best Bodyweight Push Workout

    Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.  See full disclaimer
    Top part of the image a woman performing dips on a bench with text below it and graphics of push exercises on the bottom.
    Woman in workout clothes performing a push exercise on a bench with text on the image.

    Improve your strength and upper body with this bodyweight push workout you can do anywhere. Created for beginners or experienced fitness enthusiasts, this 20-minute workout is filled with the best bodyweight push exercises you can rock at home.

    I have an advertisement relationship with the ads in this post. Check out my disclaimer here
    Woman in black workout clothes outside performing a push up with text above the image.

    Skip the gym and strengthen your upper body muscles with this push workout.

    Though technically “push” exercises can include the legs as well (lunges and squats are push exercises), this workout is geared towards the upper body.

    As one of the most effective upper body exercises, you need to know how to do a push up to rock this workout.

    As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, making use of these bodyweight exercises to improve push ups will help as well.

    What Are Push Exercises?

    Technically speaking, push exercises are those in which you are pushing an object away from your body or your body away from an object (the floor for example).

    Some common push exercises are:

    • Push ups (and all variations)
    • Squats
    • Dips
    • Bench press
    • Lunges
    • Shoulder presses

    For this bodyweight push workout, the focus is on the upper body push exercises that specifically focus on the chest muscles, shoulder muscles, triceps, and arm muscles.

    Of course, your back muscles and core will come into play as well. This is why it's important to balance it out with a lower body workout in the week also.

    Benefits Of The Workout

    • Can be done anywhere
    • Fitness nicely into a push pull split or 4 day workout routine
    • Time efficient
    • Helps increase strength in the upper body muscles
    • Can help improve body composition

    Equipment You Need

    This bodyweight push workout doesn’t require anything fancy (thank god for bodyweight exercises!).

    All you need is an area to work out (and a yoga mat if you dislike being on the floor) as well a bench, table, or stairs.

    Because this workout relies on push bodyweight exercises, it also works beautifully at the park or outside!

    Important Workout Tips

    Make sure you’re moving slowly and focusing on the form of each exercise. If you're struggling with push ups, perform an eccentric push up instead.

    This is the secret to at-home workouts for busy moms. If you fly through just the motions, you’ll impede your strength increases (learn more tips from the ultimate guide to home workouts).

    The focus of this push workout is on strength, which means that’s you’ll be pushing to almost failure on your exercises. When you do this, you need to take longer rest periods so that you’re able to perform the best set.

    GRAB THE PDF PRINTABLE
    Close grip push upsMax reps
    Rest45-60 seconds
    Inverted press5-8 reps
    Rest60 seconds
    Floor bow10 reps
    Isometric Lsit25 seconds
    Rest45 seconds
    Around the world push ups40 seconds

    To perform the bodyweight workout:

    Perform the first set of narrow grip push ups on the floor and do as many as you can before your form caves. Rest for 45 seconds.

    On the second set, elevate your hands slightly on stairs or a table and perform as many as you can with good form. Rest for 45 seconds.

    Go back to the floor and do a final set to failure. Then rest 60 seconds.

    Move on to the inverted presses for the prescribed repetitions, resting sixty seconds between sets for three rounds.

    Note:  if you can do the presses with elevated feet, aim for 5 reps. If not, aim for eight repetitions.

    Move on to a superset of the floor bow and isometric L-raise performing the exercises back to back, resting for 45 seconds and repeating for three rounds.

    If you need to, do the floor bow from your knees. The L-hold can be done on the floor or with yoga blocks. The goal isn’t core based so you don’t need to lift the legs, just focus on full arm extension.

    Finally, finish off with one set of around-the-world push-ups for 40 seconds. These push ups are done in a wider grip than the starting ones.

    Tip:  if you can only get 1-2 push ups on the floor with good form, focus on doing eccentric push ups instead.

    Narrow Grip Push Ups

    1. Starting position: plank position with your hands in line and ever so slightly wider than your shoulders. Legs extended straight behind you and feet hip width apart for balance.
    2. Squeeze the glutes and ensure the front core muscles are engaged.
    3. Tuck the elbows back as you lower your body towards the floor keeping the neck neutral.
    4. Pause briefly at the bottom before reversing the movement and returning to the starting position.
    Two images of a woman demonstrating the right and incorrect way to perform a push up.

    Inverted Press

    1. Begin in a downward dog position with your feet shoulder width or more apart and hips in the air. Hands should be roughly shoulder width or slightly more apart.
    2. Tuck the elbows down from the shoulders and shoot them backward as you bend the elbows and lower your head toward the floor.
    3. Pause and push through the hands, lifting the head away from the floor and shrugging at the top of the movement.
    Two images of a woman in blue pants and purple sports bra performing a shoulder press upside down with tips and arrows on how to perform it

    Floor Bow

    1. Come into a plank position on your knees with your hands about 5 inches ahead of your face with your arms straight.
    2. Bend the elbows until your forearms rest on the floor.
    3. Press into your hands and straighten the elbows.
    Two side by side images of a woman in blue pants and a black shirt performing a plank with arrows and text over top.

    List Hold

    1. Sit on the floor with your legs out straight and your hands outside your hips with the palms down.
    2. Extend the arms, press into the floor, and tuck your tailbone under to lift your legs off the floor (knees bent is okay!).
    3. Hold the position focusing on super straight arms.
    Two images side by side of a woman performing an L sit on yoga blocks with text and arrows to point out form.

    Around The World Push Ups

    1. Begin in full plank position with the arms wider, outside of the shoulders.
    2. Perform a push up.
    3. At the top of the position, move your right arm further out to the side and pivot your body a bit with it. Keeping your feet anchored.
    4. Perform another push up.
    5. Continue to move your body in a circle around the feet performing push ups with every new stance.

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    Other At-Home Workouts For Busy Moms

    • No equipment shoulder workout
    • Tricep workout
    • 10 minute bodyweight circuit workout
    • Dumbbell leg workout

    Frequently Asked Questions About Bodyweight Push Workouts

    Are push workouts good?

    Push workouts are a great addition to your training routine. They develop strength and muscle mass in the upper body, specifically the chest, shoulders, and arms. Basically all the major muscle groups in the upper body.

    Can you build upper body strength with a bodyweight workout?

    Bodyweight exercises are a great way to develop strength and muscle mass in the upper body. This is because a bodyweight workout routine itself is a form of resistance. So long as you continue to progress your workouts, and focus on tension and form, your muscles will build up strength regardless of the tool used.

    How often should I do a push workout?

    Since this push workout focuses only on the upper body, I’d recommend only performing it once per week. Your other bodyweight training days should be scheduled to balance it out including a pull day and a leg day.

    More Fitness Tips For Moms

    • Woman laying on floor with one knee bent and other in a hamstring stretch.
      5 Best Hamstring Exercises for Runners
    • Woman in blue shorts and tank top running outside.
      Want to Run Better? These 11 Tips Change Everything
    • Woman performing a squat with a pink mini band around her legs.
      36 Mini Band Exercises + A Full Body Workout
    • Woman in piegon pose on a bench for a glute stretch.
      9 Best Glute Stretches

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lira

      October 18, 2023 at 9:22 am

      Absolutely love this Bodyweight Push Workout! 🌟 Whether you're a beginner or a fitness enthusiast, the clear instructions and diverse exercises make it easy to follow. The emphasis on form, time efficiency, and the option to do it anywhere are major pluses. Thanks for this empowering routine!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        October 19, 2023 at 6:35 am

        Glad the breakdowns helped!

        Reply
    2. Lena

      November 02, 2023 at 11:13 am

      Phew, it burned like hell but my body feels so good after these exercises! But I'll be honest, the inverted press was little difficult for me, but I still managed to pull through it!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        November 07, 2023 at 9:44 am

        The inverted press is a hard one, it's just so damn effective not to have in there!

        Reply
    3. Therese

      February 22, 2024 at 8:49 am

      For a busy person like me who would love to hit the gym but don't have time, this 20-minute workout helps a lot!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        February 23, 2024 at 7:54 am

        Happy to help!

        Reply
    4. Paula

      July 03, 2024 at 9:15 am

      I'm so inspired. About to do this workout now!!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear

        July 03, 2024 at 9:21 am

        Yay! Get it done!

        Reply

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