10 Best Pushups Alternatives for Every Ability

Pushups are done lying face down. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Push-up On Lower Arms, the Drop Push and the Push-up Wide. Five harder versions, among them the Push-up and the Push-up Plus, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Pushups

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do Pushups

The steps for Pushups themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Pectorals, with shoulders, triceps · Bodyweight · Beginner · Compound

  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.

The 10 Best Pushups Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Pushups on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show 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. Push-up On Lower ArmsPlay demonstration

    1. Push-up On Lower Arms

    99% match

    Pectorals · Beginner · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Start in a plank position with your forearms on the ground and elbows directly below your shoulders.
    2. Engage your core and 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 body.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up 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
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as Pushups
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as Pushups
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as Pushups
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as Pushups
  2. Push-upPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Push-up

    99% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

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

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
    2. Engage your core and lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.
    3. Pause for a moment when your chest is just above the ground, then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

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

    4. Push-up Wide

    98% match

    Pectorals · Beginner · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with a wide grip.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    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
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as Pushups
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as Pushups
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as Pushups
    • Body position: lying face down, the same as Pushups

Why You Might Need a Pushups Alternative

You may need pushup alternatives for shoulder pain, limited core strength, or simply to progress. Pushups require coordinated scapular protraction-retraction and load the clavicular and sternal fibers of the pectoralis major. Substitutes let you change the press angle, reduce compressive shoulder load, or isolate the chest for hypertrophy. For example, incline pushups shift load toward the upper chest and reduce absolute load on the glenohumeral joint; perform them with hands elevated and elbows at ~45 degrees. Banded presses allow variable resistance and keep tension through horizontal adduction, which targets the same movement pattern without maximal bodyweight compression.

Pushups FAQ

What muscles does Pushups work?

Pushups primarily target the pectoralis major (both clavicular and sternal fibers) while engaging the anterior deltoid and triceps. They also recruit the serratus anterior for scapular protraction and the core for anti-extension stability.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Pushups?

Incline pushups are the best bodyweight alternative for most people because they preserve the horizontal adduction pattern while reducing load. Perform them with hands on a bench at a 30–45 degree angle, keep elbows at ~45 degrees, and lower with a controlled 2–3 second eccentric to maximize pectoral activation.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.