Narrow Push-Up
The narrow push-up is a push-up with your hands close together under your chest, index fingers touching. It works the triceps, chest and front of the shoulders, with more of the work falling on the triceps than in a standard push-up.
Also called: Close Grip Push Up, Narrow Pushups, Narrow Pushup, Narrow Grip Push-Up · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Start in a push-up position, then bring your hands together under your chest until your index fingers touch. Your thumbs can rest alongside rather than forming a diamond.
- Straighten your arms so your body forms one straight line from head to heels. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes.
- Bend your elbows and bring your chest down towards your hands, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
- Go down until your chest touches or nearly touches the backs of your hands.
- Press the floor away to straighten your arms, moving your whole body as one piece.
- If touching index fingers is too hard, start with your hands a little apart and move them closer over time.
- After the last rep, bring your knees to the floor to finish.
- Index fingers touching under your chest
- Elbows close to your sides
- Chest to your hands
- Body in one straight line
- Push the floor away
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps brachii: lateral head | Prime mover | C |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: medial head | Secondary | C |
| Anterior deltoid: anterior | Secondary | C |
| Serratus anterior | Secondary | C |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Elbows flaring out
Fix: Keep your elbows close to your sides as you go down.
Hands drifting forward
Fix: Keep your hands under the middle of your chest.
Hips sagging
Fix: Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes throughout the set.
Shallow reps
Fix: Bring your chest down to your hands on every rep.
Starting too narrow
Fix: Start with your hands slightly apart and bring them closer over time.
What the research says
StrengthMuscle growthGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Hand width — An EMG study found a narrow hand position produced more chest and triceps activity than a wide one. Muscle activity is not the same as growth.
- Push-ups as a press — Training studies found load-matched push-ups produced chest and triceps growth and bench-press strength gains similar to the bench press. This research used standard push-ups.
- Load and effort — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, so bodyweight sets can build muscle.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns.
- Progression — A common approach is to narrow the hands gradually, then move on to archer and one-arm push-ups. There is no research comparing progressions.
Log the narrow push-up in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.