Pike Press (between benches)
- Músculo objetivo
- Deltoid Anterior
- Músculos sinergistas
- Biceps Brachii, Deltoid Lateral, Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head, Serratus Anterior, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Shoulders
- Tipo
- Strength
The pike press between benches is a bodyweight shoulder exercise that places your hands on one bench and feet elevated on another, creating a near-vertical pressing angle that heavily loads the anterior deltoid. The lateral deltoid, serratus anterior, and upper chest assist throughout the movement. It serves as an effective handstand push-up progression and builds serious overhead pressing strength without a barbell.
Cómo hacer el Pike Press (between benches)
- 1Set two flat benches parallel to each other, roughly hip-width apart and spaced so your body forms an inverted V when you press up.
- 2Place your hands shoulder-width apart on one bench and walk your feet up onto the opposite bench, driving your hips high so your torso is nearly vertical.
- 3Brace your core, tuck your chin, and align your head between your arms so your body forms a tight pike position.
- 4Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward the bench between your hands, keeping your elbows tracking at roughly 45° to your torso.
- 5Descend under control until your head lightly touches or comes just above the bench surface — this is the bottom of the rep.
- 6Press firmly through your palms to extend your elbows and return to the top, fully locking out your arms overhead.
- 7Keep your hips as high as possible throughout each rep to maintain the vertical pressing angle that targets the shoulders.
- 8Complete your reps, then step your feet down from the bench one at a time to dismount safely.
Consejos de técnica
- The higher your hips, the more vertical the pressing angle and the greater the load on your anterior deltoid — prioritize a sharp pike over rushing through reps.
- Actively push the bench away at the top and shrug your shoulders upward to engage the serratus anterior and trapezius and protect the shoulder girdle.
- Keep your elbows from flaring excessively; a slight inward angle (45–60° from your torso) reduces shoulder impingement risk.
- Squeeze your core and glutes throughout the set to prevent your hips from sagging and turning the movement into an incline push-up.
Errores comunes
- Letting the hips drop too low, which flattens the pressing angle into an incline push-up and shifts load away from the shoulders onto the chest.
- Flaring the elbows out to 90°, placing excessive stress on the shoulder joint and reducing pressing power.
- Rushing the descent and using momentum to bounce out of the bottom, which removes tension from the deltoids and risks neck strain.
- Placing the benches too far apart, causing the hips to sag and the lower back to hyperextend under load.
- Failing to lock out at the top, which cuts the range of motion short and reduces deltoid activation from the trapezius and serratus.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the pike press between benches work?
The anterior deltoid is the primary mover. The lateral deltoid, pectoralis major clavicular head, biceps brachii, serratus anterior, and both the lower and middle trapezius fibers act as synergists to stabilize and assist the press.
How is the between-benches version different from a floor pike press?
Elevating your feet on a second bench raises your hips higher than the floor version allows, creating a much more vertical body angle. This shifts the load closer to a true overhead press and makes it a more direct handstand push-up progression.
How hard is the pike press between benches compared to a handstand push-up?
It is easier than a full handstand push-up because some of your bodyweight still bears through your legs. As you make your hip angle more vertical and reduce the distance between the benches, the difficulty increases toward handstand push-up levels.
How many reps and sets should I do?
For shoulder strength, 3–5 sets of 4–8 controlled reps works well. For hypertrophy, aim for 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps. Prioritize full range of motion and a slow eccentric over chasing high rep counts.
What should I do if I cannot complete a full rep?
Reduce the height of the foot bench to lower the difficulty, or use a standard floor pike press to build baseline strength first. You can also do partial reps from the top down to build eccentric strength before attempting full range of motion.
