9 Ways to Amp Up a Push-up

Updated on Oct 8, 2014 at 6:09 AM

Push-up routine getting stale? We dare you to try these push-up variations from our friends at Self.

You might think of a push-up as the most basic move to work your arms — it's basically the second exercise we ever learn, right? But the old-fashioned push-up has a lot more potential as a total body workout than you might imagine. To personalize your push-up experience, we asked celebrity trainer Larysa DiDio, creator of Strogation, to show us a few variations of the standby. Pick the push-up that works for you — or better yet, see if you can master them all! Source: Thinkstock / Ibrakovic

Incline Bench Push-up

Place your arms on the bench, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight, and lower your chest down toward the bench until arms are at 90 degrees.

Great for: beginners and folks with back issues

Works upper chest, shoulders, middle chest, triceps, and core

Push-up on BOSU

Grip the side of the BOSU ball, making sure wrists are at a neutral position and chest is over the middle of the BOSU. Keep your back straight as you lower your chest down.

Great for: intermediate, advanced trainers

Works chest, abs, triceps, and core

Push-up With Medicine Ball

Start with your hands slightly wider than your chest, and place one hand on the ball. Perform a push-up as you straighten your arms, and then pass the ball to the other hand to perform another push-up.

Good for:intermediate, advanced trainers

Works chest, triceps, shoulders, back, and core

Push-up With Reverse Crunch

Place your feet on the ball with ankles over the center. Keep your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart, while bringing your knees to your chest. Keeping your upper body stable, extend your knees back out while performing a push-up.

Good for: intermediate, advanced trainers

Works lower chest, middle chest, lower abs, core, and legs

Half Burpee Push-up

Place your hands on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Jump toward your chest, as feet should land just inside your hands on the ground. Jump back out, bringing feet together, and then do your push-up.

Good for: beginning, intermediate, and advanced trainers

Works abs, chest, triceps, shoulders, and core

Walking Push-up

Start with hands and feet slightly beyond shoulder-width apart, and then perform a push-up on the floor with legs wide. Next, walk your left hand and leg in together, before walking your right hand and right leg out. Do another push-up. Repeat.

Great for: intermediate, advanced trainers

Works abs, legs, chest, shoulders, triceps, and core

TRX Push-up

Perform this move on your toes. Hold the handles of the rope suspension, making sure your arms are aligned with shoulders and your abs are tight as you perform your push-up.

Great for: beginner, intermediate, advanced trainers

Works shoulders, core, chest, and legs

Reverse Grip Push-up

Grab hold of the bar shoulder-width apart, palms facing upward, and perform your push-up. Repeat.

Good for: beginning, intermediate, and advanced trainers

Works upper chest, shoulder, triceps, and abs

Mountain Climber Push-up

Start with hands on the floor roughly shoulder-width apart like you would a normal push-up. Hike right knee up between your hands like you're doing a mountain climber, then set foot back down in its starting position and do your push-up. Repeat with the left leg.

Good for: beginning, intermediate, and advanced trainers

Works chest, shoulder, core, and legs