If your push-day workouts feel stale, it’s time to shake things up. Standard barbell presses and machine work can build muscle, but repeating the same movements weekly leads to plateaus and gaps in strength development. To maximize chest, shoulder, and triceps gains, you need variety—fresh exercises that challenge stability, enhance muscle activation, and improve pressing power.
A well-designed push-day routine implements strategic movement selection, avoids redundancy, and covers all pressing angles. In this guide, I’ll hit you with unique push day exercises that can help break through stagnation, prevent injuries, and elevate your upper body strength. Plus, we’ll cover common benefits of pushing exercises that include muscles worked.
Benefits of Push Exercises
Targets Multiple Muscle Groups: Engages the chest, shoulders, and triceps for a complete upper-body session.
Improves Muscle Activation: Unique movements increase muscle fiber recruitment, leading to greater strength and hypertrophy.
Enhances Stability and Control: Incorporating exercises that challenge stability ensures long-term joint health and functional strength.
Prevents Overuse Injuries: Movement variety reduces wear and tear from repetitive strain on the same joints and tissues.
Boosts Pressing Power: Strengthening stabilizers and weak points translates to heavier lifts in classic pressing movements.
14 Best Push Exercises For Strength & Hypertrophy
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Floor Press
Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps, shoulders
How to Do It:
Lie on the floor with a barbell or dumbbells positioned above your chest.
Bend your knees with feet flat on the ground or keep legs extended for added core engagement.
Lower the weight until your elbows lightly touch the floor, keeping them at a 45-degree angle.
Press back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest and triceps at the top.
Control each rep and avoid bouncing your elbows off the floor.
Pro Tip: Limits range of motion, making it ideal for lifters with shoulder discomfort or those wanting to focus on lockout strength.
2 of 14
Z-Press
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, core, triceps
How to Do It:
Sit on the floor with your legs fully extended and a barbell or dumbbells in front of you.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width or hold dumbbells at shoulder height.
Press the weight overhead while keeping your core engaged and back straight.
Slowly lower the weight back to shoulder height under control.
Maintain an upright posture—no leaning back.
Pro Tip: Eliminates leg drive, forcing strict overhead pressing and boosting core stability.
3 of 14
Dead-Stop Push-Up
Muscles Worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core
How to Do It:
Get into a push-up position with hands shoulder-width apart.
Lower yourself to the ground, allowing your chest to rest for a second.
Engage your core and push explosively back to the starting position.
Maintain a straight line from head to heels throughout.
Repeat for the desired reps, ensuring full range of motion.
Pro Tip: Helps eliminate momentum, focusing on raw pressing strength.
4 of 14
Landmine Press
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, triceps, core
How to Do It:
Secure a barbell into a landmine attachment or wedge it into a corner.
Hold the end of the bar with one hand at shoulder height.
Press the bar upward and slightly forward, extending your arm fully.
Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
Perform all reps on one side before switching.
Pro Tip: Great for those with limited overhead mobility or shoulder pain.
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Banded Push-Up
Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core
How to Do It:
Set a resistance band in a squat rack at waist height.
Place your hands on the band and assume a push-up position.
Lower yourself with control, allowing the band to stretch under your hands.
Press up explosively, stabilizing against the instability of the band.
Focus on keeping tension throughout the movement.
Pro Tip: Mimics the instability of a Tsunami Bar, challenging stabilizers.
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Dumbbell Squeeze Press
Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps
How to Do It:
Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
Press the dumbbells together firmly to create tension.
Lower them to your chest while maintaining the squeeze.
Press back up, keeping constant tension between the weights.
Pro Tip: Maximizes chest activation by increasing time under tension.
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Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, grip, core
How to Do It:
Hold a kettlebell upside down with a firm grip.
Keep your elbow at a 90-degree angle and press overhead.
Maintain control as you lower back to the start.
Engage your core to prevent swaying.
Pro Tip: Enhances shoulder stability by demanding strict control.
8 of 14
Plyometric Push-Up Variations
Muscles Worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps
How to Do It:
Perform a push-up, then explode upwards.
Clap hands or push off an elevated surface.
Land softly and reset.
Pro Tip: Builds upper-body explosiveness.
9 of 14
One-Arm Push-Up
Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps, core
How to Do It:
Place one hand behind your back.
Lower yourself slowly to the ground.
Press back up using full-body tension.
Pro Tip: Advanced movement—start with elevated variations.
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Standing Cable Chest Press
Muscles Worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps
How to Do It:
Stand in a staggered stance with cables set at chest height.
Press forward, keeping a stable core.
Slowly return to start.
Pro Tip: Mimics real-world pushing mechanics.
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Seesaw Dumbbell Press
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, core, triceps
How to Do It:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
Press one dumbbell overhead while keeping the other at the starting position.
As you lower the first dumbbell, press the other one up.
Repeat in a controlled alternating motion.
Pro Tip: Enhances unilateral shoulder stability while maintaining time under tension.
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Reverse Grip Bench Press
Muscles Worked: Upper chest, triceps, shoulders
How to Do It:
Lie on a bench with a barbell, gripping it with palms facing toward your head.
Lower the bar slowly to your chest, keeping elbows tucked.
Press the bar back up to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Activates the upper chest more than a traditional bench press and is easier on the shoulders.
