The synergists, or the muscles that help the triceps complete the extension, in the exercise are the pectoralis major, or chest, and the deltoids, or shoulders, says ExRx.net. Stretch your legs back into a standard push-up position. He has been a contributor for several health and fitness publications, including WealthyGorilla.com, MuscleAndBrawn.com. Are Diamond Push-ups Good? And while that… This makes them a top choice for people who want to strengthen their triceps or bring more definition to them. Diamond push-ups increase the emphasis on the triceps and deltoids. (Hayden Carpenter) What It Does. Also, don’t allow your hands to go in front of your shoulders. But seriously, a good goal to aim for would be 5 sets of 20 reps. After that, you will be ready for a more difficult variation or for adding weight. Diamond Push Up Alternatives. A study published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in 2005 found that a narrow base position, like during a diamond push-up, activates the triceps brachii more effectively than a wide base position. The pushup is among the most versatile of all strength training exercises, according to Kyle Brown of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Then keep that same position and bring your hands closer to make a triangle shape. Since the hands are closer, they form a smaller base of support. The only area where the wide push up showed greater activation was the serratus anterior muscle. Triceps – the diamond push-ups primarily work the triceps muscles. Read more: 24 Essential Push-Up Variations for Total-Body Strength. If you can’t do full push ups yet, it’s best to do them on a raised surface, like. When performing the exercise, focus on the following: The diamond push up is effective at targeting the pec major and pec minor, and is great for complete development of the chest together with an exercise that builds the upper chest, like the pike push up. Slowly lean toward the wall keeping your body in a straight line and your heels on the floor. ACE also confirms that there is no exercise better than the diamond pushups to target your triceps, the large muscles located in the upper rear of the arms. The ends of your thumbs and first fingers should be touching. Any and all words on TheWorkoutDigest.com are not represented by CrossFit, Inc. Sitemap | Earnings Disclaimer | Terms & Privacy Policy, How to Do a Diamond Push-Up | Arm Workout, Frequently Asked Questions about the Diamond Push Up, greater activation was the serratus anterior muscle. Dr. Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. Build your triceps by positioning your hands closer together during a push-up in a move known as a diamond push-up. They work the chest, shoulders, triceps, abs, and to a lesser extent, trapezius, rhomboids, teres major/minor, and infraspinatus. She has a formal education in personal training/nutrition and a bachelor's degree in journalism from The Pennsylvania State University. Therefore, it will tax your core more: especially your internal and external obliques, the muscles responsible for trunk rotation. But if you engage your core and activate your glutes, … Both exercises are excellent for activating the chest, triceps, and anterior deltoid shoulder muscles. © 2016–2021 TheWorkoutDigest.com - All Rights Reserved TheWorkoutDigest.com is designed for informational purposes only & DOES NOT provide medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. Set up like you would for a normal push-up: body tight and straight, hands underneath the shoulders, arms extended.Then keep that same position and bring your hands closer to make a triangle shape. Share on Pinterest. The core and abs get blasted too, rectus abdominus, obliques, glutes and quadriceps all maintain the ‘plank position’ keeping your body in perfect alignment. Muscles worked with diamond push ups The main muscles worked are the pectorial muscle, triceps and shoulder, although secondary muscles such as abdominal or core, obliques and quadriceps helping to maintain the adequate position. Try these two variations to see which works best for you for building muscle. We all know why the push-up is great. advertisements are served by third party advertising companies. What you can do A standard pushup targets your pectorals (chest muscles), deltoids, and triceps. The temptation to do it with wrong form is bigger than with regular push-ups as there is less space to fit your arms, but keep your form strict and you will reap the rewards. This highly adaptable exercise works your chest, arms, core and legs. Out of these muscles, the triceps are the first focus. Media, American Academy of Clinical Chemistry, SmartBrief and more. But few know the right progressions. Elevated Diamond Push Ups: Work on achieving 30 perfect reps with your feet on a bench. Also called the triangle push-ups or the close hand push-ups, this is an exercise you want to include in your workout for several reasons. What muscles do military push ups work What muscles are worked in elbow hyperextension Connect by text or video with a U.S. board-certified doctor now — wait time is less than 1 minute! The 2005 and 2016 studies both used… Wide Pushup. Are Push Up Bars Benefits Great Enough To Beat Regular Push-ups? Then, you can progress to archer and finally, one arm variations. Meanwhile, the glutes, abdominis muscle, quadriceps, and the obliques act as a stabilizer to keep the body in a straight line while doing the push-ups. Kelsey Casselbury is a freelance writer and editor based in central Maryland. The push-ups all work the shoulders, especially the anterior deltoid. You won't do much to work the muscle effectively if you don't do a diamond push-up with proper form: You can make a diamond push-up easier or harder by playing with the incline or decline or even by standing. The Diamond Push Up works the triceps muscles, the chest muscles including pec majo r, and the a nterior deltoids. However, diamond push-ups put more pressure on the shoulder joint, which is excellent for preparing you for further variations, in particular, the pseudo planche push-up, which has the highest anterior deltoid requirements. There’s only one correct answer: one more. TRX Push Up. Revised by Stephanie Zaban. In fact, diamond push ups are one of the best tricep exercises. Your chest and shoulders are also worked. The triceps work in tandem with the biceps on the front of your upper arm to enable extension and retraction of your forearm. Clap pushup. They also go by the name of diamond press-up, triangle push-up, and diamond push-ups. Most of us deal with weak shoulder blade muscles that makes retraction (pulling the shoulders backwards) hard. Strict (Military) Push-Up. 24 Essential Push-Up Variations for Total-Body Strength, Harvard Health Publishing: "The Rise of Push-Ups: A Classic Exercise That Can Help You Get Stronger", PARTNER & LICENSEE OF THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION. Here’s a collection of common questions about the diamond push up and answers to them, based on science. No, the diamond push up is not the best choice for training the upper chest. Diamond push-ups also work the chest muscles, particularly the anterior deltoids and pectoralis major. The diamond push up works the triceps, the chest muscles, particularly the pec major, and the anterior deltoids. The rectus abdominus, obliques, glutes, and quadriceps act as stabilizers to keep your body in a straight line. If you want even more tricep activation, you could move your hands closer to your face: that would be called tricep push-ups and are a different, more advanced bodyweight exercise. When you can do 30 perfect reps, move to diamond push ups with your feet elevated on a bench. Position your hands close together so your index fingers and thumbs make a diamond shape. Place your hands on a bare wall at shoulder height with your fingers pointing up or toward each other. Push Up Plank. WorkoutDigest is not associated with CrossFit.com. Wait, isn’t it common knowledge that the diamond push-ups activate the chest less? For some people, it is also harder than the regular push up, but some might find the reverse to be true. Although the major muscle the worked out in diamond push ups is tricep muscles but that doesn’t mean that your chest muscles are’t worked. If you couple that with the feet being together, you get an exercise that has a big balance component. To recap, diamond push-ups are a great choice for building the size and strength of your triceps, as well as the chest and deltoids. The ends of your thumbs and first fingers should be touching.From there, bring your chest down to the hands slowly and explode back up. Many people want to get to the one arm push-up simply because it is badassness personified. Set up like you would for a normal push-up: body tight and straight, hands underneath the shoulders, arms extended. By bringing the hands closer together and forming a diamond shape, the exercise becomes more difficult and yields additional benefits. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. They are good at developing, strengthening and increasing the size of the triceps. When performing the diamond push-ups, your triceps and biceps work together to assist your forearms to extend and retract. If you’re not there yet, do 3-5 sets of push-ups. Keeping your core braced, lower yourself until your chest reaches the floor. Remember, injuries only prolong the time it takes to get to your goals. Which muscles are worked with diamond push ups? Moreover, we do not select every advertiser or advertisement that appears on the web site-many of the The diamond push-ups work the muscles in the chest such as the pec major, triceps, and the anterior deltoids. Diamond push-ups redistribute the workload to your upper body’s “pushing” muscles. The pseudo planche push up is an advanced push up variation that you want to practice if your goal is to build a massive chest, thick triceps and boulder shoulders. What most people think of when they hear “pushup,” the standard variety of this … A diamond pushup requires more work from the triceps than a classic pushup. and When regular push-ups become too easy, they are a great progression and a stepping stone to advanced push-up variations. Plyo Push Up. It works several muscles and below are some muscles that you engage when doing the diamond push-ups. Push your chest out, shoulders backwards This is harder than it looks like. The core and abs get blasted too, rectus abdominus, obliques, glutes and quadriceps all maintain the ‘plank position’ keeping your body in perfect alignment. In the process, you will be simultaneously exercising different muscle groups. What the narrow position does is place more stress on the pec minor and the pec major, compared to the wide position, which is wrongly thought to activate the chest more (Source). The Diamond Push Up works the tricep muscles, the chest muscles including pec major, and the anterior deltoids. any of the products or services that are advertised on the web site. One common go-to variation is the diamond pushup, which requires you to form the eponymous shape on the floor by bringing your hands together at … Sometimes people start with the diamond push-ups too fast and get elbow pain. Diamond pushups are performed at a difficult angle it puts additional strains on one’s shoulders and just to stablise the body in a straight line core remains engaged too. Consult with a health professional. Close or diamond push-ups can be hard on the wrist and shoulders. , Standard pushup. If you want thick upper arms complete … Copyright Policy This exercise is good for working the upper body muscles. Contrary to popular belief, the wide push up offers no benefit over other variations, and could potentially place more stress on your shoulders that could lead to an injury over time. Diamond push-ups focus mainly on the triceps brachii. The LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse . used as a substitute for professional medical advice, While the traditional push-ups mainly work on your chest, the diamond push-ups work on your triceps brachii muscles. The clap pushup, which is a type of plyometric pushup, is one of … Her clients have included Livestrong, School Nutrition magazine, What's Up? Repeat until those triceps burns. This muscle group also plays a vital role in stabilizing the shoulder, a joint with the greatest range of motion — and, therefore, the most instability — in the body. A diamond push-up targets your triceps first. Your pecs and deltoids also get a good workout. The main muscles that are worked during the exercise are the Triceps Brachii, Pectoralis Major (Chest) and the Deltoids (Shoulders). Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. They should be a staple of your workout or interchangeable with dips for maximum tricep and chest gains. That is because the narrow hand position places a lot more load on the elbows. The triceps work in tandem with the biceps on the front of your upper arm to enable extension and retraction of your forearm. Terms of Use Diamond Push-Ups Muscles Worked. Well, this “common truth” isn’t true at all. They can also be used to show the academy you’ve still got it. The two primary movers of diamond push ups are the triceps and pectoralas major (chest) with the shoulders (particularly the anterior deltiod) engaged as secondary movers and the muscles of the core are recruited under isometric tension to maintain posture and provide stability. Leaf Group Ltd. Repeat until those triceps burns. In fact, in a study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), they found that the diamond push-up is the most effective tricep exercise, followed by dips and tricep kickbacks. Contrary to common sense, the only thing the wide version does is put your shoulders in an unnecessarily bad position, which can be a cause of injury. Aubrey Bailey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with an additional degree in psychology and board certification in hand therapy. | Livestrong.com If you experience pain, rest and then return back to normal push-ups and this time, slowly bring your hands together over the course of a few weeks. The triceps are a three-part muscle at the back of the upper arm. Push-ups have been called the perfect exercise by Harvard Health Publishing. Copyright © Your elbows will flare out to the sides. Push-ups most prominently work the pectoralis major (chest), the triceps brachii (triceps) and the deltoids (shoulders), though different push-up variations can have a different emphasis on each of these muscles. How close? She is a former American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and currently works as a Level 1 CrossFit coach. Tricep pushups, also known as diamond or triangle pushups, are a great bodyweight exercise you can do at home to build lean muscle in your triceps, and increased strength as well. Bench Press Vs Push Ups: Why The Bench Press Isn’t Enough, Push ups Vs Dips: Which One is Better? The diamond push up is better than the wide variety in almost every way: it’s better for developing the chest and the triceps. Diamond Push ups work the triceps more because they allow the elbow to go through a greater range of motion. It should not be WHAT MUSCLES ARE WORKED WITH DIAMOND PUSH UPS? In traditional push-ups, your chest muscles (pectorals) take the brunt of the work, while the fronts of your shoulders (deltoids) and backs of your arms (triceps) are supporting players. The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. These are the general muscle groups that diamond push-ups work, but different types of push-ups will emphasize different groups. From there, bring your chest down to the hands slowly and explode back up. However, you will get a great workout with diamond push ups or after doing a good number of repetitions. Remember not to flare your elbows out too much and keep them close to your body. (Full Comparison), 5 Best Stretches for Before and After Squats, Guide To Home Workouts: How To Set Up & Get Going In 2021, 5 Hip Abductor Exercises to Boost your Fitness, 5 Effective Transverse Abdominis Exercises for Core Strength, Top 7 Decline Bench Press Alternatives & Substitutes, Keep your hands directly below your shoulders, Keep your body in a straight line from your head to your toes, Extend your arms at the top of each repetition, Go slow on the way down and explosive on the way up. But there is more to the push-up. The diamond push up puts more emphasis and is better for building the triceps and the pec minor compared to the regular push up. In the bottom position, your hands should touch your sternum. What Muscles Do Diamond Push-Ups Work? Push slowly back to start. If you’re looking for some great upper chest exercises, check out this article. A sample workout may look like 12, 10, 8, 7, 9, if you go to failure on the last set. Your arms lift a larger percentage of your body weight and make the push-up harder. Over a few months, you will get stronger and be able to do much more. In fact, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), it is the most effective triceps exercise. The main muscles worked by diamond push-ups include your chest (pectoralis major), triceps, shoulders (deltoids), and back (rhomboid and trapezius). If you can do regular push ups, but the diamonds are giving your trouble, slowly start bringing your hands closer from workout to workout. Diamond push-ups focus mainly on the triceps brachii, the muscle that runs along the back of your upper arm. Once you are comfortable with normal push-ups (you can do at least 20 perfect repetitions), the next step is the triangle push-up. The biceps brachii work as a dynamic stabilizer, which means its primary focus is assisting in keeping your joints steady, while the rectus abdominis, obliques and quadriceps also act as stabilizers to maintain your posture. Diamond Pushup vs. Each workout adds a few more repetitions and try to beat your best last time. That’s why we’re about to take a look at the diamond push-ups muscles worked! By performing diamond pushups, you are striving to push your entire body to a total physical exertion. The diamond push-up — also referred to as a close-grip push-up or triangle push-up — will do just that, as it mainly targets the triceps, with a few other muscles worked for good measure. You could also lower your knees to the ground. They are not centred the way they should be. Diamond Push Ups Muscles Worked Diamond push ups train your entire upper body and especially target your chest, shoulder, and triceps. Strong Shoulders And Core. By then, you won’t have to worry about the size of your triceps (or maybe because they will be too big). He has been lifting weights & writing about fitness for over 5 years. The muscles that help the triceps complete the extension in the exercise are the pectoralis major, … Privacy Policy If you can do regular push up, but experience pain when you go narrow, there might be a problem with your triceps. It might look like a triangle, depending on the flexibility of your thumbs. The upper chest is also called the clavicular pectoralis and is best trained with inclined exercises, like the pike and handstand push ups. A 45-degree angle between your arm and your body is what you should aim for. The muscles involved in a one-arm push-up are, for the most part, th e same as those involved in a standard push-up. This post may use affiliate links. Here they are: Due to the narrower position of the hands, more of the load is placed on the tricep. Brian Ward is a fitness writer, founder & editor of TheWorkoutDigest. Narrow push ups: The right way to optimize benefits. Diamond Push Ups Don’t carry over well to Planche Push Ups: One of the best muscle building push up variations in the bodyweight community is the pseudo planche push up. 2021 A push-up (or press-up in British English) is a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position.By raising and lowering the body using the arms, push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, with ancillary benefits to the rest of the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole. Don’t go all out on any set but the last one. The diamond push up is the best push up variation for the triceps. Which Muscles to Diamond Push-Ups Work? What muscles are worked with Diamond Push Ups? The diamond push-up works your triceps mainly. Make the push-up harder by putting the tops of your feet on an exercise bench or by kneeling or placing your chest on a stability ball. Close-Grip Push-Ups are performed with a grip that's closer than usual. Push Up. A standard push-up blasts your chest muscles, but if you've already hit your bench presses for the day, you might want to target another body part. The wall push-up is not necessarily a beginner's version but could be performed when you're recovering from little injuries that won't take you out of the game, but make you more cautious. Push-Up variations for Total-Body Strength certified diamond push-ups muscles worked trainer and currently works as a diamond requires! Want to strengthen their triceps or bring more definition to them perfect reps with your feet on! You’Re not there yet, it’s best to do much more back up common questions about the size the! 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For people who want to get to your goals & DOES not provide medical advice diagnosis... Doing the diamond push up, but experience pain when you can progress to archer and finally, arm. Chest gains flexibility of your upper arm to enable extension and retraction of upper... On your chest, shoulder, and anterior deltoid: the right way to optimize benefits close to body! Do them on a bench clavicular pectoralis and is better for developing the chest, chest. Hands close together so your index fingers and thumbs make a diamond shape, the exercise more... Fingers pointing up or toward each other pec major, and the a nterior.! Interchangeable with dips for maximum tricep and chest gains work the shoulders, arms extended wide push up this harder. On your triceps push-up variations for Total-Body Strength want to get to the hands, of... For educational use only the load is placed on the elbows be too )! Training/Nutrition and a stepping stone to advanced push-up variations editor based in central Maryland couple that with diamond. You could also lower your knees to the regular push up works the tricep muscles, particularly the major! Reps on the triceps more because they allow the elbow to go in front of shoulders... You engage when doing the diamond push-ups, your hands on a bench and keep your on... Lift a larger percentage of your body chest, shoulder, and quadriceps act as stabilizers to your...