Push-up in Child Pose
Build chest, shoulder, and core strength with the Push-up in Child Pose. Transition from a child's pose to a powerful push-up, then return with control.
Description
Start in a child's pose with your arms extended in front of you. Push up into a plank position, then lower yourself back into the child's pose. This exercise targets your shoulders, chest, and core muscles.
How to Do Push-up in Child Pose
- 1Setup
Begin in a Child's Pose with your knees wide, big toes touching, and hips resting back towards your heels. Extend your arms forward on the mat, palms flat and fingers spread wide.
- 2Setup
Brace your core and engage your lats, ensuring your head is neutral and in line with your spine.
- 3
Inhale as you smoothly shift your weight forward, pushing through your hands to lift your hips and straighten your legs into a high plank position.
- 4
Exhale as you lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked close to your body, until your chest is just above the ground.
- 5
Push through your palms to extend your arms, returning to the high plank, then immediately reverse the movement by pushing your hips back to the Child's Pose.
Tips
- Keep your core tight throughout the entire movement, especially as you transition from Child's Pose to plank, to maintain a straight spine and prevent hip sagging.
- Tuck your elbows close to your body during the push-up phase to better engage your triceps and protect your shoulders.
- Focus on a smooth, controlled transition between Child's Pose, plank, and the push-up, avoiding the use of momentum to complete the movement.
- Inhale as you shift forward to plank and lower into the push-up, then exhale forcefully as you push back up and return to Child's Pose.
Common Mistakes
- ×Allowing your hips to sag or your lower back to arch in the plank position compromises spinal alignment; actively engage your core and glutes to maintain a straight line from head to heels.
- ×Flaring your elbows out wide during the push-up can strain shoulders; keep your elbows tucked close to your body, pointing towards your feet, to protect your shoulders and better target your chest and triceps.
- ×Rushing the transition or using momentum to push out of the bottom of the push-up reduces muscle engagement; slow down the movement, focus on muscle control, and ensure each phase is deliberate and controlled.
Variations
Push-up Pull
Build upper-body pushing and pulling strength in one move with this challenging push-up and row combo.
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
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
Related Exercises
Negative Push-up
Strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps with negative push-ups. Master the controlled eccentric phase to build strength for full push-ups.
Single Arm Push up
Master the single arm push-up to build incredible upper body strength, core stability, and balance.
Push-up Jack
A combination of a push-up and a jumping jack that targets the chest and shoulder muscles, while also working the core and increasing heart rate.
Push up (With push up handles)
Perform push-ups with handles to deepen your chest engagement and protect your wrists.
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.
Bodyweight Kneeling Push-up Row
Build chest and back strength with this kneeling push-up variation that adds a rowing pull at the top.
Track Push-up in Child Pose in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free