Diamond Push-Ups
Push-ups with your hands together in a diamond shape: the triceps take centre stage and the exercise gets much harder.
Also known as: triangle push-ups, close push-ups
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Type
- Compound
Muscles worked
How to do it
- Place your hands together under your chest, thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond.
- Extend your legs and set your body straight from head to heels.
- Lower your chest toward your hands, elbows tight to your body and pointing back.
- Press up to straight arms, squeezing your triceps.
Form cues
- Elbows travel back, not out.
- If your wrists complain, move your hands slightly apart.
- Hips in line with your shoulders and ankles.
Common mistakes
- Letting your elbows flare: the triceps do less and your elbows suffer.
- Sagging your hips to reach the bottom: do fewer reps, but full ones.
- Placing your hands under your face: the angle loads the shoulder. Put them under your sternum.
Sets and reps
3 sets close to failure, usually 6-15 reps. If you can't yet, do them with your hands on a bench.
Variations
Same movement, different equipment. Pick based on what you have and what you want from diamond push-ups.
Close-grip push-ups
Hands at shoulder width: easier than the diamond and kinder to your wrists.
How to do it
- Assume a push-up position with hands directly under your shoulders.
- Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs.
- Lower your chest toward the floor.
- Press back up to the starting position.
- Primary
- Chest, Triceps
- Secondary
- Front Delts, Serratus
FAQ
Do diamond push-ups work the triceps?
Yes, far more than regular push-ups, with help from the chest and front delts.
Why do my wrists hurt?
The diamond bends your wrists a lot. Move your hands slightly apart, hold dumbbells, or do close-grip push-ups.
Are they harder than regular push-ups?
Yes, most people manage far fewer. Start on a bench if you need to.
What muscles do diamond push-ups work?
They mainly work the chest and the triceps, with help from the front delts and the serratus.
Add diamond push-ups to your next workout
Log your sets and weights, and see how each muscle progresses in the app.
