Kneeling Fist Push-Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start on all fours with your knees on the ground and hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Make tight fists with your thumbs on the outside, resting your weight on the flat surface of your knuckles (primarily the index and middle finger knuckles).
3. Walk your knees back until your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees.
4. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes to prevent your hips from sagging.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle relative to your torso.
2. Lower yourself until your chest is just above the floor, maintaining a controlled 2-second eccentric phase.
3. Exhale as you drive through your knuckles to push your body back to the starting position.
4. Lock out your elbows at the top without losing tension in your chest.

Form checklist

• Keep your wrists perfectly straight; do not let them bend or roll to the side.
• Maintain a neutral spine from your neck down to your knees.
• Ensure your elbows do not flare out wide to the sides.
• Keep your gaze slightly ahead of your fists to maintain neck alignment.

Pro tips

• Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lower yourself to create a stable base for the shoulder joint.
• Focus on 'screwing' your knuckles into the floor to create external rotation torque, which increases shoulder stability.
• At the top of the movement, actively protract your shoulders by pushing as far away from the floor as possible.

Make it harder

• Transition to a full Fist Push-Up by lifting your knees and supporting your weight on your toes.
• Perform the movement with a 3-second pause at the bottom to eliminate momentum and increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the kneeling fist push-up work?

The kneeling fist push-up primarily targets the pectorals and triceps, and also works the abs, deltoids, obliques, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the kneeling fist push-up?

The kneeling fist push-up requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the kneeling fist push-up good for beginners?

Yes. The kneeling fist push-up is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• Aztec Push UpIntermediate · pectorals, serratus anterior, and triceps
• Barbell Bench Press With 1 BoardIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps
• Barbell Pullover-To-PressIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps
• Baseball HitAdvanced · biceps, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, lats, obliques, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps