12 Pushup Variations That’ll Ignite Your Chest, Core, and Arms

The brilliance of the pushup lies in its simplicity. You can smash out reps anywhere, anytime – no equipment needed. But let’s be honest: doing the same old up-and-down every session gets boring fast. Like life, you need something different, so her are some pushup variations.

Mixing things up isn’t just good for motivation. Variations challenge your muscles in new ways, build full-body strength, and prevent the dreaded plateau. Here are 14 pushup variations to level up your workouts and forge serious upper-body power. Do as many as you can. Here’s how many you should be able to do at any age.

1) Wide-grip pushup

Target area: chest.

Start from a  normal pushup position but spread your hands wider than shoulder length. This will force your chest to pick up the brunt of the work from your triceps and shoulders.

2) Narrow-grip pushup

Target area: triceps.

Do normal a normal pushup with your hands just a few inches apart from each other underneath your chest. This is one of the more common pushup variations.

3) T-pushup

Target area: full-body workout.

Start from the pushup position. Take one hand off the ground and raise it straight up in the air (making a T-shape out of your body). Keep your eyes locked on your raised hand. Repeat for your other side. Add dumbbells to the routine to increase the intensity of the workout. “T-pushups hammer your entire upper body,” says trainer Robert James. “Not only are you targeting your chest, but you’re also strengthening your shoulders, opening up your thoracic spine [midback], and building rotational power through your core.

4) Single-leg pushup

Target area: intensifies work on upper body and core. Lift one leg up off the ground and do a set. Switch legs on the next set.

5) Feet-elevated pushups

Target area: intensifies work on upper body and core.

Do a normal pushup, but with your feet elevated on a stable platform like a box or bench. The higher the platform, the more you’ll work your shoulders, chest, core, and scapular stabilisers (the muscles that connect your neck, mid-back, and shoulders).

6) Medicine ball pushup variation

Target area: arms, pecs, and shoulders.

Similar to a narrow grip pushup, this routine is a great stability challenge that forces you to rely on more than just brute strength.

7) Atomic pushup

Target area: chest and core.

Place your feet in a suspension trainer so that they are elevated. Do a pushup and then bring your knees to your chest. “Atomic pushups hammer  your chest and core while slashing fat,” says trainer Tan Yeung. “Your entire body is moving, which makes it a metabolically demanding exercise. Great for cardio days and as a finisher.”

8) One-arm pushup

Target area: arms and chest.

Keeping your feet in a wider than a normal pushup position, use just one arm to do a pushup. Keep your elbow close to your body. Made famous by Rocky, these pushup variations aren’t easy.

“Do one-arm pushups just to be a badass. Your upper-body strength and size will soar,” says Yeung. “If you can’t do them from the floor, do them from a bar in a Smith machine or power rack. Gradually lower the height of the bar as you get stronger.”

9) Clap pushup

Target area: chest.

At the peak of your pushup, push yourself up off the ground and quickly clap in midair. The fast jolting force of clap pushups will help you develop explosive power while also bulking up your pecs for a superhero chest.

10) 1.5 pushup

Target area: chest.

From the bottom of a rep, push up halfway, then descend and push up again. “To build a bigger chest, you need longer ‘time under tension’ [TUT]— the length of time your muscles are working,” says Yeung. “By adding an extra half of a pushup, you’ll increase your TUT, build more size, and pump your muscles.”

11) Spiderman pushup

Target area: core

Do a normal pushup but raise one knee toward the elbow of the same side as you rise (like Spiderman climbing a wall). Switch knees with each rep.

12) Eccentric pushups

Do a normal pushup but descend slowly (4 to 5 seconds) and rise normally. “By slowly lowering yourself, you will skyrocket your TUT and flood your muscles with blood,” says Yeung.

Pushup FAQs

1. What muscles do pushups work?Pushups mainly target your chest (pectorals), shoulders (deltoids), and triceps. They also engage your core and stabilising muscles for balance and control. Pushup variations can targe a large range of muscles.

2. Are pushups good for building muscle?Yes. Pushups build upper body muscle and strength, especially if you increase reps or try harder variations like diamond or one-arm pushups.

3. Can pushups build abs?Pushups work your core, but they won’t give you visible abs without reducing body fat through diet and overall training. They strengthen your abdominal muscles, though.

4. How many pushups should I do a day?That depends on your fitness level and goals. Beginners can start with sets of 5–10, while advanced trainers might do 50–100+ daily. Quality matters more than quantity.

5. Do pushups burn fat?Pushups burn some calories, but they aren’t a fat-burning miracle. Combine them with cardio and a calorie deficit to reduce fat.

6. Are pushups better than bench press?Pushups are great for functional strength and convenience, while bench presses allow you to progressively overload with heavier weights for more chest growth. Both have their place.

7. Can I do pushups every day?You can, but listen to your body. Daily pushups build endurance, but muscle growth benefits from rest days to recover and rebuild.

8. Why can’t I do a pushup?If you struggle with pushups, it’s usually due to weak chest, triceps, or core muscles. Start with knee pushups or incline pushups and build up gradually.

9. What is the hardest pushup variation?The one-arm pushup and planche pushup are among the hardest. They require massive strength, stability, and coordination. Build up slowly to avoid injury.

10. Do pushups increase testosterone?Any resistance training, including pushups, can give a temporary testosterone boost, but don’t expect life-changing hormone changes just from pushups alone.

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