Try Elevated Pike Push-Ups For Building The Strength Of Your Shoulders
So, you want to build your shoulder muscles and the overhead press seems so boring? No worries, elevated pike push-ups might be just what you were looking for.
It works your shoulder muscles and it looks cool. Now let’s see how to build those delts using nothing but a bench and your own body mass as resistance.
What Are Elevated Pike Push-Ups?
Elevated pike push-up is an excellent exercise that will primarily target your deltoid muscles. Those are the most prominent muscles of your shoulders. So, if you want to build your shoulders this is a great tool for the job.
Elevated pike push-ups are very similar to pike push-ups. The only difference, your feet will be positioned on an elevated surface like a bench. Everything else will be pretty much the same as with pike push-ups.
How To Do Elevated Pike Push-Ups?
Positioning:
Position your feet on an elevated surface (like a bench). Put your hands on the floor in front of the bench.
Your arms and your upper body to your hips should form a straight line. Also, your legs should be straight from your feet to your hips. Your butt should be up in the air.
Downward movement:
Bend your arms at your elbows to start moving down. Aim to touch the ground with your head. Move down in as straight line as possible while keeping your legs straight and your core tight.
Upward movement:
Push away from the ground with your arms. Push until your arms are completely straight and form a straight line with your upper body.
Do this for 5-8 reps in 3 sets.
Elevated Pike Push-Ups Benefits
Elevated pike push-ups are great for a bunch of reasons. Here are the most important ones:
- Strengthen your deltoid muscles: This exercise will help you work your shoulder muscles. More precisely, your deltoids. So, it’s great for strengthening your delts.
- No need for expensive equipment: You can do this exercise using any elevated surface. If you are at home this can be a chair, a sofa, or a couch. Or, you can use any bench in the park.
- Looks cool: One of the many benefits of this skill is that it looks cool. Not many people are doing it. So, when you show up in a park and routinely use this move as a part of your workout, it will turn heads. I know this might not be your primary intention, but it doesn’t hurt to look cool while you train. Right?
Tips For Proper Form
Elevated pike push-ups might look easy when done by someone with a lot of experience, strength, and flexibility. But if this is the first time you try it, don’t expect to do it smoothly and perfectly.
After 5 years of training, I still struggle with my arms elevation. So, I’m still falling short when it comes to the perfect execution of this exercise. But this doesn’t stop me from doing it. And it must not stop you from doing it too.
Now here’s what you should aim for if you are after the perfect execution of this cool move.
- When you position yourself look to have your arms straight and in line with your upper body. To be able to do this, you will have to work on your shoulder mobility, especially your arm’s elevation. This is still something I’m trying to improve.
- When lowering down, go all the way down until your head touches the ground. But don’t rest your head on the floor. Just slightly touch the ground with your head and push back up. Also, when you are going back up, straighten your arms completely. This will ensure you are doing the entire range of motion. By doing so, your muscles will have to work the most. So, you know you are doing the best you can to give those delts the stimulus for growth.
- Keep on breathing the entire time.
Elevated Pike Push-Ups Variations
Calisthenics is great for having loads of variations you can try for each exercise you do. Some are easier and some are harder to do. So, whatever level you are currently on, there is some version of the exercise you can do that will be challenging enough for you.
Elevated pike push-ups are no exception. If they are too hard, you can try pike push-ups, if they are too easy you can try handstand push-ups. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here are some of the exercises you can try if elevated pike push-ups are still too hard for you:
If elevated pike push-ups are getting too easy, you may want to try:
There are two progressions that will help you build your shoulder muscles:
Feel free to explore and find the exercise that is up your speed. Continue your journey from there.
Incorporating Elevated Pike Push-Ups Into Your Workout
Now, you know everything there is to know about this great skill. It’s time to see how you can use it.
There are two simple ways to include elevated pike push-ups into your workouts. If you are doing total body workouts, you can easily add this exercise for targeting your shoulders. If you are doing splits, you can use this exercise as a part of your upper body, or push workout.
Anyway, take care about the frequency and work your shoulders 2-3 times per week for best results.
Conclusion
Now you have an overview of an elevated pike push-up exercise. It’s a cool-looking move that will turn heads. It will also build strength and add size to your shoulder muscles.
So, you have another tool in your calisthenics arsenal. Use it wisely and for good only.
