How to do the Push Up On Forearms
TricepsBodyweightIntermediate
The push up on forearms is a deceptively demanding bodyweight movement that places the triceps under intense, focused tension throughout the entire range of motion. Master this variation and you will build arm strength and stability that transfers directly to pressing power across every discipline.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest
Step-by-step
- Set up in a forearm plank with elbows directly beneath your shoulders and fists or palms flat on the floor
- Brace your core and glutes hard to lock your body into a rigid plank position before any movement begins
- Press through your forearms to extend your elbows and push your torso upward while keeping hips level
- Lower yourself with control back to the forearm position, resisting gravity the entire way down
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips pike or sag during the press, which shifts load off the triceps and stresses the lower back, so actively squeeze your glutes and core throughout every rep
- Flaring the elbows wide as you push, which reduces triceps engagement and strains the joints, so keep elbows tracking close to your sides
- Rushing the descent and dropping back to the floor, which wastes the eccentric phase where significant strength is built, so take at least two full seconds on the way down
Pro tip — As you press up, think about driving your elbows toward your feet rather than simply straightening your arms, this subtle cue activates the long head of the triceps more fully and eliminates the tendency to compensate with shoulder elevation.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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