Weighted Push-Up With Vest

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Secure the weighted vest tightly around your torso to prevent shifting or sliding during the movement.
2. Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with fingers spread wide.
3. Extend your legs back and position your feet hip-width apart, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
4. Engage your glutes and brace your core to stabilize your pelvis and prevent lower back arching.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your torso.
2. Descend with a controlled 2-3 second tempo until your chest is just an inch above the floor.
3. Exhale and push through your palms to return to the starting position, driving your body upward as a single unit.
4. Fully extend your arms at the top without locking your elbows to maintain tension on the target muscles.

Form checklist

• Keep your core braced to prevent the hips from sagging toward the floor.
• Ensure elbows are tucked slightly inward rather than flaring out 90 degrees to protect the shoulders.
• Maintain a neutral neck by looking at a spot on the floor about 6 inches in front of your hands.
• Move through a full range of motion, ensuring the chest reaches the floor before the hips.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'tearing the floor apart' with your hands to increase shoulder stability and pectoral activation.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together on the way down and push them apart (protract) at the top to engage the serratus anterior.

Make it harder

• Elevate your feet on a bench or box to shift more weight onto the upper chest and anterior deltoids.
• Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate momentum and increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the weighted push-up with vest work?

The weighted push-up with vest primarily targets the pectorals, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the weighted push-up with vest?

The weighted push-up with vest uses weight plate and body weight.

Is the weighted push-up with vest good for beginners?

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

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