Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Elbow Lift - Reverse Push-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The elbow lift - reverse push-up is a bodyweight exercise that targets the upper back, with secondary emphasis on the triceps and shoulders. It involves lifting the upper body off the ground while keeping the elbows close to the sides, focusing on squeezing the upper back muscles.

Primary muscles
Traps
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Shoulders
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the elbow lift - reverse push-up
Front view: muscles worked by the elbow lift - reverse push-up. Primary: traps. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the elbow lift - reverse push-up. Primary: traps. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the elbow lift - reverse push-up

  1. Step 1: Start by lying face down on the ground with your legs extended and your hands placed directly under your shoulders.
  2. Step 2: Engage your core and press through your palms to lift your upper body off the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
  3. Step 3: Pause at the top for a moment, squeezing your upper back muscles.
  4. Step 4: Slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the elbow lift - reverse push-up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Elbow Lift - Reverse Push-Up alternatives

More exercises that train the traps as their main target:

More traps exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.