Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The incline reverse grip push-up is a bodyweight exercise targeting the pectorals, performed with hands on an elevated surface and palms facing towards you (reverse grip). It emphasizes the upper chest and triceps while requiring stability and control.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Triceps
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the incline reverse grip push-up
Front view: muscles worked by the incline reverse grip push-up. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the incline reverse grip push-up. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the incline reverse grip push-up

  1. Step 1: Place your hands on the edge of a bench or elevated surface, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
  3. Step 3: Lower your chest towards the bench by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your arms.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the incline reverse grip 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.

Incline Reverse Grip Push-Up alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest 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.