10 Best Incline Push-up Wide Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Incline Push-up Wide is done lying face down. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Incline Push-up, the Incline Push-up Medium and the Incline Push-up (On Box). Three harder versions, the Incline Reverse Grip Push-up, the Incline Push-up Reverse Grip and the Incline Push Up Depth Jump, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Incline Push-up Wide

Incline Push-up Wide
Primary muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Abdominals, Shoulders, Triceps

How to perform Incline Push-up Wide
  1. Stand facing a Smith machine bar or sturdy elevated platform at an appropriate height.
  2. Place your hands on the bar, with your hands wider than shoulder width.
  3. Position your feet back from the bar with arms and body straight. Your arms should be perpendicular to the body. This will be your starting position.
  4. Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the bar by bending the arms.
  5. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows, pressing yourself back up.
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Ranked Incline Push-up Wide Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Incline Push-up Wide on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Incline Push-up Medium
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing a Smith machine bar or sturdy elevated platform at an appropriate height.
    2. Place your hands on the bar, with your hands about shoulder width apart.
    3. Position your feet back from the bar with arms and body straight. This will be your starting position.
    4. Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the bar by bending the arms.
    5. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows, pressing yourself back up.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
  2. Progression

    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the pectorals.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Place your hands on the edge of a bench or elevated surface, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
    3. Lower your chest towards the bench by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
  3. Incline Push-up Reverse Grip

    Progression

    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand facing a Smith machine bar or sturdy elevated platform at an appropriate height.
    2. Place your hands on the bar palms up, with your hands about shoulder width apart.
    3. Position your feet back from the bar with arms and body straight. This will be your starting position.
    4. Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the bar by bending the arms.
    5. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows, pressing yourself back up.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
  4. Progression

    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Find an elevated surface, such as a bench or step, and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge.
    2. Step your feet back, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest towards the edge of the surface, bending your elbows and keeping your body aligned.
    4. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
    5. Jump off the edge of the surface, landing softly with your knees slightly bent.
    6. Repeat the push-up and depth jump for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound

    The same equipment, done standing instead.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Place your hands on the edge of a box or elevated surface, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
    3. Lower your chest towards the box by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: standing, not lying face down
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start in a high plank position with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe.
    3. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    4. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by kneeling on the ground with your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
    2. Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Engage your core and lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
    4. Continue lowering until your chest is just above the ground, then push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: kneeling, not lying face down
  5. Push-up Wide
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. With your hands wide apart, support your body on your toes and hands in a plank position. Your elbows should be extended and your body straight. Do not allow your hips to sag. This will be your starting position.
    2. To begin, allow the elbows to flex, lowering your chest to the floor as you inhale.
    3. Using your pectoral muscles, press your upper body back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Exhale as you perform this step.
    4. After pausing at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
  6. Pushups

    10. Pushups

    87% match
    • Pectorals
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on the floor face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart while holding your torso up at arms length.
    2. Next, lower yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
    3. Now breathe out and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest.
    4. After a brief pause at the top contracted position, you can begin to lower yourself downward again for as many repetitions as needed.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as the Incline Push-up Wide

Incline Push-up Wide FAQ

What muscles does Incline Push-up Wide work?

Incline Push-up Wide primarily targets the pectoralis major (especially the sternal fibers when hands are wide), with assistance from the anterior deltoids, triceps, and scapular stabilizers like the serratus anterior. Cue a wide hand placement and press through horizontal adduction to feel the pecs engage.

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Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology