Bodyweight Exercise: Wide-grip Push Up

The wide grip push up is a variation of the push up where your hands are placed farther apart than usual.

Step 1: Place your hands flat on the floor, wider than shoulder width apart (similar to the grip you’d use when doing a bench press.) You should be on your hands and toes, and your body should be stiff.

Don’t drop your hips, and don’t push your butt up into the air.

Step 2: Lower your body down to the floor until your chest brushes the ground. Keep your elbows tucked in by your sides. Your elbows should go down and back, not flare out to the side.

Then push back up to the starting position.

It is best to use a 2-0-1 cadence for push ups. That is, take 2 seconds to lower your body down, 0 seconds rest at the bottom, and 1 second to push back up.*

*Depending on how far apart your hands are, it may only take 1 second to lower yourself slowly to the floor.

Wide-grip Push Up video:

[video coming soon]

See more exercise guides in The Bodyweight Exercise Collection.