Chest Tap Push-up
Enhance your push-up strength and stability with the Chest Tap Push-up. This dynamic variation challenges your core and improves upper body power, making
Description
A push-up variation where you tap your chest with one hand at the top of each rep.
How to Do Chest Tap Push-up
- 1Setup
Begin in a standard push-up position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward, and body forming a straight line from head to heels.
- 2Setup
Ensure your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your elbows are slightly bent, not locked out; engage your core and glutes to maintain a rigid torso.
- 3
Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked at about a 45-degree angle to your body, until your chest is just above the ground.
- 4
Explosively push through your palms to return to the starting position, exhaling as you drive up.
- 5
At the top of the push-up, quickly lift one hand off the floor and tap your sternum (chest) with your palm, maintaining core stability and a level torso.
- 6
Place that hand back down and immediately repeat the push-up, tapping your chest with the opposite hand at the top of the next repetition.
Tips
- Focus on core engagement throughout the entire movement to prevent hip sagging or arching, especially when lifting a hand off the floor.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase to build strength and maintain tension in your chest and triceps before pushing back up.
- To make the chest tap smoother, shift your weight slightly to the stabilizing arm *before* lifting the other hand, maintaining balance.
- Keep your eyes focused a few inches in front of your hands to help maintain a neutral spine and proper body alignment.
Common Mistakes
- ×Sagging Hips: Allowing your hips to drop towards the floor during the push-up compromises spinal alignment; fix this by actively squeezing your glutes and bracing your core throughout the movement.
- ×Lack of Stability During Tap: Losing balance or rotating your torso excessively when tapping the chest indicates insufficient core and shoulder stability; fix this by slowing down the movement and consciously engaging your obliques and shoulder stabilizers.
- ×Flaring Elbows: Letting your elbows flare out wide to the sides puts undue stress on the shoulder joints; fix this by keeping your elbows tucked closer to your body at approximately a 45-degree angle during the lowering phase.
Variations
Push-up Pull
Build upper-body pushing and pulling strength in one move with this challenging push-up and row combo.
Shoulder Tap Push up
Boost chest, shoulder, and tricep strength while enhancing core stability with the Shoulder Tap Push-up. A dynamic exercise for full-body control.
Push-Up Plus
Enhance your push-up with the Push-Up Plus, specifically targeting the serratus anterior for shoulder stability and overall chest, shoulder, and triceps
Twist Push-up
Master the twist push-up for a dynamic challenge, building chest and core strength.
Related Exercises
Push Up
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One Side Archer Push-up
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Incline Shoulder Tap
Master the Incline Shoulder Tap to build shoulder stability, core strength, and chest endurance. This bodyweight exercise enhances control and balance.
Elevanted Push-Up
Elevated Push-Ups target your upper chest and shoulders more intensely than standard push-ups.
Assisted Standing Triceps Dip
Build triceps strength with machine assistance that lets you focus on proper dip form at a manageable load.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
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