Incline Depth Jump Push-Up
- Primary musclePectorals
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypePlyometric · Push
Pushing off a raised edge hard enough for your hands to leave it, then absorbing the landing and rebounding, trains pressing power with less impact than floor plyo push-ups, since the incline unloads part of your bodyweight. Do it fresh and cap sets at 3-5 crisp reps.
How to do the Incline Depth Jump Push-Up
- Find an elevated surface, such as a bench or step, and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge.
- Step your feet back, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Lower your chest towards the edge of the surface, bending your elbows and keeping your body aligned.
- Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
- Jump off the edge of the surface, landing softly with your knees slightly bent.
- Repeat the push-up and depth jump 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.
Secondary
- Triceps — The triceps finish the rep by locking the elbows, and they do more work the narrower your hands are.
- Delts — The front delts assist the chest, especially on decline variations where the feet are elevated.
- Abs — The abs hold the body rigid so the hips do not sag, which is why a push-up is also a moving plank.
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 Incline Depth Jump Push-Up work?
The Incline Depth Jump Push-Up primarily works the pectorals. It also involves the triceps, delts and abs, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Incline Depth Jump Push-Up good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Incline Depth Jump 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 Incline Depth Jump Push-Up?
If you cannot do the Incline Depth Jump Push-Up, try the Kettlebell Plyo Push-Up, the Plyo Push-Up or the Clap 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 Incline Depth Jump 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.
Track the Incline Depth Jump Push-Up in SetGrip
All 1,100+ exercises with animations are in the app. No account, no sign-up — your data stays on your iPhone. Works with Apple Watch.
More exercises
Exercise data and animations are licensed ExerciseDB content used in SetGrip. This page is for general information and is not medical or coaching advice.