Wide Hands Wall Push-Up
Also known as: wide hand wall push-up, wide wall push-up
In SetGrip: Wall Push-Up (Wide Hands)
- Primary musclePectorals
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeCompound · Push
Wall push-ups with a wide hand position keep the load tiny while nudging the emphasis toward the chest rather than the arms; the close hands wall version does the opposite. Standing farther from the wall raises the challenge, making distance your progression tool before moving to an incline surface.
How to do the Wide Hands Wall Push-Up
- Stand facing a wall, about arm's length away.
- Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Step back with your feet, keeping them hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall, keeping your body straight.
- Pause for a moment, then push yourself back to 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 6–12 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 12–20 | 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 Wide Hands Wall Push-Up work?
The Wide Hands Wall Push-Up primarily works the pectorals. It also involves the triceps and delts, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Wide Hands Wall Push-Up good for beginners?
Yes. The Wide Hands Wall Push-Up is rated beginner: it uses no equipment beyond your bodyweight and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Wide Hands Wall Push-Up?
If you cannot do the Wide Hands Wall Push-Up, try the Close Hands Wall Push-Up, the Drop Push-Up or the Step Incline 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 Wide Hands Wall Push-Up, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.
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