Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up exercise animation (Male)

Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up

Target muscle
Pectoralis Major Sternal Head
Synergist muscles
Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Deltoid Anterior, Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head
Equipment
Body weight
Body part
Chest
Type
Strength

The Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up is a bodyweight press performed with your hands on an elevated surface and your fingers pointing back toward your feet. The supinated grip keeps the pectoralis major sternal head as the primary mover while adding the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis as elbow-flexor synergists, with the front delts and upper chest assisting. Because the incline reduces how much bodyweight you press, it is an accessible way to train the chest and arms together without a spotter.

How to do the Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up

  1. 1Set a bench, box, or sturdy step at roughly knee-to-hip height and check that it will not slide under load.
  2. 2Place your hands on the near edge about shoulder-width apart with palms supinated and fingers pointing back toward your feet, wrapping your thumbs under the edge for a secure hold.
  3. 3Walk your feet back until your body forms a straight line from heels to head and your shoulders sit slightly behind your hands.
  4. 4Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and keep your hips level so your torso neither sags nor pikes.
  5. 5Inhale, then bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the edge under control, keeping your elbows tracking close to your sides.
  6. 6Stop when your chest is just above the surface or your elbows reach roughly 90 degrees, whichever comes first, without letting your shoulders shrug up toward your ears.
  7. 7Exhale and press through your palms to straighten your elbows and return to the start, stopping just short of a hard lockout.
  8. 8Reset your brace and repeat for the intended number of reps, then step your feet forward to stand up before releasing your hands.

Form tips

  • Keep your wrists stacked under your forearms rather than bent out to the sides — the supinated grip already loads the joint at an unfamiliar angle.
  • Set your hands no wider than shoulder-width; the reverse grip has a much narrower comfortable range than a standard push-up.
  • Drive your elbows down toward your hips as you press so the biceps and brachialis contribute to the rep instead of just stabilizing.
  • Use a slow three-second descent for the first few sessions to build tolerance to the grip before you add reps, sets, or a lower surface.
  • Progress by lowering the surface a few inches at a time — a bench, then a box, then a step — rather than jumping straight to the floor.

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows out wide, which shifts stress off the pectoralis major sternal head and onto the front of the shoulder while cutting the biceps and brachialis out of the press.
  • Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which breaks the plank, unloads the chest, and puts the lower back into extension under bodyweight.
  • Setting the hands wide, which forces the wrists into external rotation the reverse grip cannot absorb and turns a chest exercise into a joint-strain exercise.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and bouncing out of the bottom, which removes the time under tension that makes the sternal fibers grow.
  • Training through sharp wrist or elbow pain instead of raising the surface — the supinated position needs weeks of gradual exposure, and pushing through it is how people end this exercise for good.

Frequently asked questions

Which muscles does the Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up work?

The primary target is the pectoralis major sternal head — the lower and mid chest. The biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis work as synergists at the elbow thanks to the supinated grip, while the anterior deltoid and the pectoralis major clavicular head assist the press.

What is the difference between a reverse grip push-up and a regular push-up?

Turning the hands so the fingers point toward your feet supinates the forearms, which brings the biceps brachii and brachialis into the press as active synergists — muscles that contribute very little with a standard pronated grip. It also forces a narrower hand placement and a tighter elbow path, so the movement feels harder at the elbows and wrists than the load alone suggests.

Is the Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up bad for your wrists?

It is safe for most people if you progress into it, but the supinated grip loads the wrist at an angle it rarely sees. Start with a high surface such as a bench, keep your hands shoulder-width, and stop the set if you feel sharp joint pain rather than working muscle.

How high should the incline be?

Pick a height where you can complete 8 to 12 controlled reps without your hips sagging — knee-to-hip height suits most beginners. The higher the surface, the less bodyweight you press, so raise it if your form breaks down and lower it a few inches at a time as you get stronger.

Can the Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up replace a standard push-up?

Treat it as a complement rather than a replacement. It hits the sternal chest and elbow flexors in a way a standard push-up does not, but the grip limits how much load you can handle, so keep a regular or incline push-up as your main pressing volume and use this variation for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

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