Strength Training · Bodybuilding · Calisthenics
Suspension Trainer Push-Up
The suspension trainer push-up is a push-up with your hands in moving handles. It trains your chest, shoulders, and triceps while challenging you to keep your trunk steady.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Adjust both handles to the same height, roughly level with your waist.
- Stand facing away from the anchor with your feet hip-width apart.
- Grip the handles at shoulder width with your palms facing each other.
- Walk your feet backward into a forward-leaning plank with straight arms.
- Lower your chest toward the handles by bending your elbows.
- Press through the handles to return to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep your ribs tucked down.
- Squeeze your glutes.
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Exhale as you press.
Common mistakes
- Handles drifting apartKeep the handles beneath your shoulders rather than letting your hands slide outward.
- Elbows flaring sidewaysGuide your elbows roughly 30–45 degrees away from your torso.
- Dropping too deepStop lowering when your upper arms line up with your torso, or sooner if your shoulders feel strained.
Safety
Unstable handles can pull your shoulders into an uncontrolled position as you fatigue. Slipping feet or an unsecured anchor can cause a forward fall.
- Check the anchor, straps, and buckles before putting your weight into the handles.
- Use a nonslip surface with clear space in front of you.
- Start with a more upright body angle; end the set when you cannot control the handles or trunk.
- Return to standing upright before releasing the handles.
If you have shoulder or wrist pain, use a stable incline push-up or seek advice from a physiotherapist before using suspended handles.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Suspension Trainer
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 6–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Choose an angle that leaves you able to complete about two more controlled reps at the end of each set.