Videos
Instructions
- Start in a high plank position with hands under shoulders and body straight.
- Lower your chest all the way to the ground with control.
- Lift both hands briefly off the floor while keeping the rest of your body in contact.
- Place your hands back on the ground and push up to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Technical Tips
- Keep your core tight to avoid sagging hips.
- Ensure full range of motion by touching the chest to the ground.
- Avoid flaring elbows too far out from the body.
- Maintain a straight line from head to heels throughout the movement.
Breathing Tips
- Inhale as you lower your body to the ground.
- Exhale as you push back up to the starting position.
Medical restrictions
- Shoulder impingement or instability
- Wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lower back pain or herniated disc
The Hand Release Push-Up is a powerful bodyweight exercise that emphasizes full range of motion and strict form. Unlike traditional push-ups, this variation requires the lifter to lift their hands off the ground at the bottom of each rep, eliminating momentum and promoting complete muscular engagement. This move is popular in functional training and CrossFit programs for building upper body strength, stability, and muscular endurance. It's particularly effective at targeting the chest and triceps while demanding control from the shoulders and core. Ideal for intermediate practitioners, the hand release ensures every repetition is performed with integrity, making it a reliable benchmark for assessing push-up proficiency and form quality.
What muscles do hand release push-ups work?
Hand release push-ups primarily target the chest and triceps, while also engaging the shoulders, core, and lower back for stability and control.
Are hand release push-ups better than regular push-ups?
Hand release push-ups eliminate momentum and enforce full range of motion, making them better for building strict strength and improving form consistency compared to regular push-ups.
Can beginners do hand release push-ups?
Beginners may find hand release push-ups challenging due to the full range of motion, but they can scale by starting from the knees or focusing on eccentric (lowering) phases first.
Do hand release push-ups help with muscle growth?
Yes, hand release push-ups promote hypertrophy by ensuring complete chest activation, controlling tempo, and reducing the reliance on momentum, all of which support muscle growth.