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Exercise library / Suspended Push-Up

Suspended Push-Up

Suggestions, not prescriptions. Exercises here pass automated checks. They have not been clinically reviewed, and no exercise is right for everyone. Adjust to your comfort and ability.

A push-up with your hands in suspension trainer handles. The straps move, so your trunk and shoulders must stay steady.

Main focus
Strength
Level
Starting
Equipment
TRX or suspension trainer, rings, A mat, A door or post to anchor a band or trainer
Load
Your body weight, adjusted by body angle
Stability
Unstable: single leg, suspended or on a ball
Before you start
  • Warm up first with a minute or two of easy walking or marching in place, and cool down the same way after.
  • Wear flat, closed shoes with a good grip, or go barefoot on a non-slip floor if that feels steady to you.
  • Clear the floor around you. Keep a sturdy chair, counter or wall within reach for any move you do standing.
  • Build up slowly. Add repetitions or minutes over weeks, not days. If you take a break, work back up gradually.

Talk with a doctor or physical therapist before you start if you have not been active for some time, if you have a health condition or a worry about exercise, if you have fallen or fear falling, or if a clinician has told you to limit activity. This library is general information, not medical advice.

What you need

A suspension trainer (such as a TRX) or gymnastic rings, hung from a secure anchor point that is rated to hold your weight, and a non-slip floor. A mat or a firm, clear patch of floor, and a sturdy chair or bench nearby to help you get up.

How to do it

  1. Set the handles at about waist height. Face away from the anchor, take the handles, and step your feet back so your body leans forward in a straight line, arms straight.
  2. Brace your abdominal muscles and keep the straps taut.
  3. Bend your elbows and lower your chest between your hands.
  4. Press back to the start, keeping your body in a straight line.

How much

To start: 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 12 slow repetitions, resting 1 to 2 minutes between sets.

As it gets easier: 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions with good form, resting 1 to 3 minutes. Add load or repetitions gradually, no more than about once a week.

How it should feel: The muscles you are working should feel the effort. The last repetitions should be hard but controlled, never shaky or painful.

Make it easier

  • Stand more upright, with your feet closer to the anchor.
  • Lower only part of the way.

Make it harder

  • Walk your feet back so your body is flatter.
  • Lower the handles.

Safety

  • Warm up first, and keep your breathing steady. Breathe out on the effort and in as you ease off. Do not hold your breath.
  • Move with control. Do not lock your joints straight at the end of a movement.
  • Choose a version, load and number of repetitions you can finish with good form. The last few should feel hard but not shaky.
  • Check the straps, buckles and anchor point before every use. Pull hard on the straps to test the anchor before you put your weight on it.
More safety notes
  • Your body angle sets the difficulty: the closer your feet are to directly under the anchor, the easier it is. Start more upright than you think you need.
  • Keep tension in the straps throughout. Do not let them go slack and then jerk tight.
  • Move slowly and keep your body in a straight line unless the exercise says otherwise.
  • Getting down to the floor and back up is part of this exercise. Use a sturdy chair or bench to help you, and move slowly.
  • If you cannot get up from the floor on your own, choose a standing or seated alternative, or have someone with you.
  • Pad bony spots, such as knees, with a mat or folded towel.

When to stop

  • Stop and rest if you feel dizzy or lightheaded, sick to your stomach, or unusually short of breath.
  • Stop if you feel sharp, sudden or joint pain. Muscles working hard is expected. Pain is a signal to stop.
  • Stop and sit down if you feel unsteady and cannot settle yourself right away.
  • Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure, fainting, or sudden weakness, numbness or trouble speaking.
  • After any of these, do not repeat the exercise until you have talked with a doctor or physical therapist.
  • A strap, buckle or the anchor shifts or creaks.
  • A strap slips off your hand or foot.
  • You feel pain in a shoulder, elbow or wrist.
  • You cannot get up from the floor without help.
  • You feel dizzy when you change position.
  • The straps swing and you cannot steady them.

Other ways to do this movement

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Where this comes from

General guidance on build-up, warm-up, breathing and listening to your body is from the NIA and the CDC. The steps were written by Fitafter50; the equipment and safety notes are Fitafter50's general practice and are approved as a set by the reviewer.

This is general information, not medical advice. It does not diagnose anything or tell you whether an exercise is right for you. Adjust to your comfort and ability.