Weighted Drop Push-Up
In SetGrip: Drop Push-Up (Weighted)
Adding external weight to an explosive push-up in which the hands relocate mid-air puts this among the most demanding plyometric options in the family. Reserve it for after unweighted drop and clap push-ups feel crisp, keep sets to 3-4 reps, and end the set when the pop disappears.
How to do the Weighted Drop Push-Up
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- Lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Once your chest is just above the ground, explosively push yourself up, lifting your hands off the ground.
- As you push up, quickly move your hands out to the sides and slightly forward, allowing your body to drop down towards the ground.
- Catch yourself with your hands in the wider position and immediately lower your chest towards the ground again.
- Repeat the push-up motion, dropping down and catching yourself with your hands in the narrower position.
- Continue alternating between the wider and narrower hand positions 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 weighted
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Weighted Drop Push-Up work?
The Weighted Drop Push-Up primarily works the pectorals. It also involves the triceps and delts, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Weighted Drop Push-Up good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Weighted Drop 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 Weighted Drop Push-Up?
If you cannot do the Weighted Drop Push-Up, try the Clap 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 Weighted Drop 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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