Smart Workout Diary

Wall Push-Up

The wall push-up is a standing bodyweight pressing exercise performed with the hands on a wall. It primarily trains the chest, triceps, and front shoulders while requiring less load than a floor push-up. It supports upper-body strength, pressing technique, and a gradual progression toward standard push-ups.

Demonstration

Wall Push-Up — demonstration 1
Wall Push-Up — demonstration 2

Instructions

  1. Stand facing a clear wall, about an arm’s length away, with your feet about hip-width apart.
  2. Place your palms on the wall at chest height, slightly wider than shoulder-width, with your fingers pointing upward.
  3. Brace your abdomen and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels; do not let your hips sag or push backward.
  4. Inhale and bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall in a controlled motion. Keep your elbows angled slightly back rather than flared straight out.
  5. Stop when you can maintain a neutral neck and stable body position without discomfort in the shoulders.
  6. Exhale as you press through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position. Repeat smoothly without locking the elbows forcefully.
Muscle Group
Chest
Other Muscle Groups
Triceps, Front Delts
Type
Calisthenics
Mechanics
Compound
Equipment
Body Only
Difficulty
Beginner

Technique tips

  1. Keep the body rigid: move as one unit rather than leading with the head or bending at the hips.
  2. Step farther from the wall to increase difficulty, but only as long as you can maintain the same straight-body position.
  3. Use a controlled tempo and avoid bouncing off the wall.
  4. If your wrists are uncomfortable, slightly adjust hand height or width while keeping the palms flat and the movement pain-free.
Exercise library