Clap Push-Up
Also known as: clapping push-up
- Primary musclePectorals
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypePlyometric · Push
Getting enough air to clap and return your hands demands a harder push-off than a basic plyo push-up, plus a controlled landing on slightly bent elbows. Keep sets to 3-5 explosive reps and stop the moment height starts to fade; grinding out slow reps defeats the purpose.
How to do the Clap Push-Up
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your core engaged.
- Push through your palms explosively to propel your body off the ground.
- While in mid-air, clap your hands together before landing back in the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Screw your hands into the floor as if turning the fingers outward to set the shoulders before each set.
Muscles worked
Primary
Pectorals · Chest
The chest drives the arms together as you push, and it is loaded most in the bottom half of the rep when the elbows are bent.
Common mistakes
- Hips sagging or piked — the body should stay a straight line from head to heels; squeeze the glutes and brace the abs before each rep.
- Elbows flared to 90 degrees — flaring the arms out wide loads the shoulder joint; keep the elbows tucked to about 45 degrees from the torso.
- Cutting the bottom short — chest should come to within a fist of the floor; if that means fewer reps, do fewer reps.
- Head dropping first — the chin reaching for the floor makes it look like a rep when it is not; keep the head neutral and lead with the chest.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 3–5 × 3–5 | 90–120 s |
| Conditioning | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s |
Push-ups work as a warm-up before bench press, as a finisher after chest work or as the main push exercise when training with no equipment. Superset them with inverted rows or a band pull-apart for balance.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Clap Push-Up work?
The Clap Push-Up primarily works the pectorals. It also involves the triceps and delts, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Clap Push-Up good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Clap Push-Up is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Clap Push-Up?
If you cannot do the Clap Push-Up, try the Weighted Drop Push-Up, the Plyo Push-Up or the Incline Depth Jump Push-Up. Each of them trains the pectorals through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Clap Push-Up, a sensible starting point is power: 3–5 × 3–5 with 90–120 s rest; conditioning: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest. Do it first in the session while you are fresh. Quality of each rep matters more than the count.
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