Child Pose Push-Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a tabletop position on all fours with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Push your hips back toward your heels, extending your arms fully forward into a Child's Pose position.
3. Keep your gaze toward the floor to maintain a neutral neck and spine.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you shift your weight forward, gliding your chest low to the floor until your shoulders are stacked over your wrists.
2. Exhale forcefully as you press your body up into the top of a push-up, keeping your core and glutes tight.
3. Inhale as you lower your chest back toward the floor with control.
4. Push your hips back toward your heels to return to the starting Child's Pose position in one fluid motion.

Form checklist

• Keep elbows tucked at a 45-degree angle to the torso during the push-up phase.
• Maintain a flat back and engaged core to prevent the hips from sagging as you move forward.
• Ensure your hands remain firmly planted and do not slide during the transition.
• Move through a full range of motion, bringing the chest as close to the floor as possible during the glide.

Pro tips

• Focus on the 'glide' phase by keeping your nose and chest millimeters from the floor as you transition forward to maximize time under tension for the deltoids.
• At the peak of the push-up, actively pull your belly button toward your spine to maximize abdominal engagement and protect the erector spinae.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement with your knees off the floor (floating) throughout the entire transition for intense core and quad activation.
• Add a three-second pause at the bottom of the push-up phase before pressing back to Child's Pose.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the child pose push-up work?

The child pose push-up primarily targets the erector spinae, glutes, and pectorals, and also works the obliques, rotator cuff, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the child pose push-up?

The child pose push-up requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the child pose push-up good for beginners?

The child pose push-up is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Child PoseBeginner · erector spinae, glutes, and lats
• Dumbbell BurpeeIntermediate · deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps
• Dumbbell Contralateral Glute Bridge Single Arm Chest PressAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, and pectorals
• Parsva Balasana Yoga PoseBeginner · abs, erector spinae, lats, obliques, pectorals, and trapezius