Muscles worked
The deficit push-up trains the same muscles as a regular push-up (chest, front shoulders and triceps), but through a longer range. As your chest drops below your hands, your chest muscles stretch further at the bottom, and that is where the exercise is hardest. The front of your shoulders is also stretched more than in a regular push-up. Your abs and glutes keep your body straight, which asks more of them the deeper you go. The height of the supports decides how much longer the movement becomes.
Common mistakes
- Supports that can slide or roll. Two round dumbbells or a loose stack of books give way when you push. Use push-up handles, hexagonal dumbbells, weight plates or sturdy blocks that sit still on the floor.
- Going deeper than your shoulders can handle. Depth is the point, but it should come gradually. Start with low supports, a few centimetres is enough, and raise them only once the bottom feels controlled. If what you feel in your shoulders is pain rather than fatigue, stop the exercise and ask a doctor or physiotherapist to examine them.
- Losing tension at the bottom. In the deepest position it is tempting to rest, but then your body loses its line and the way up turns jerky. Start back up after a brief moment, before you have had time to relax.
Variations and alternatives
- Push-ups are the base, and a good step back if the depth gets too heavy.
- Tempo push-ups make the push-up harder in a different way, with slower reps instead of a longer range.
- Chest dips also give your chest a deep stretch using only body weight.
- The dumbbell bench press gives a long range with weights at the gym.
Sets and reps
Deficit push-ups suit building muscle, with 6 to 12 reps a set across three or four sets. The deep position is more tiring than it looks, so expect fewer reps than in regular push-ups. See sets and reps for more on set numbers and rest.
Add reps first, and raise the supports a little once you manage 12 reps on every set. Once the depth feels right for your shoulders, add a heavy rucksack instead. Both routes are progressive overload with body weight.