Suspended Push-up
The straps wobble on purpose, and the work your chest does keeping the handles from drifting apart is what a floor push-up never asks for.
How to do Suspended Push-up
- Find a suspension trainer and adjust it to an appropriate height.
- Stand facing away from the anchor point and hold the handles with an overhand grip.
- Walk your feet forward, leaning your body forward until your weight is supported by the suspension trainer.
- Keep your body straight from head to heels, engage your core, and lower your chest towards the handles.
- Push through your chest and arms to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Suspended Push-up Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 5-8 reps with the body close to horizontal and 2-3 minutes rest. Lower the body angle to progress rather than adding reps.
Hypertrophy
3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with a 3-second descent and a 1-second pause at the bottom, 90 seconds rest.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps at a steeper, more upright body angle with 45 seconds rest, walking the feet back instead of stopping.
Common Suspended Push-up Mistakes
Letting the handles drift wide at the bottom so the elbows flare past 90 degrees and the shoulders absorb the load.
Keep the handles beneath the armpits with the elbows at roughly 45 degrees and actively pull them toward each other as you press.
Sagging at the hips as fatigue builds, so the chest drops toward the floor before the arms have done anything.
Brace the glutes and quads so the body stays one rigid line. Once the hips drop, walk the feet back or end the set.
Setting up almost horizontal on day one and never completing a full-range rep.
Start with a steep body angle and walk the feet forward a few inches per session as pressing strength catches up.
Easier and Harder Than Suspended Push-up
Swap Suspended Push-up For
Suspended Push-up — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Suspended Push-up?
Find a suspension trainer and adjust it to an appropriate height. Stand facing away from the anchor point and hold the handles with an overhand grip. Walk your feet forward, leaning your body forward until your weight is supported by the suspension trainer. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Suspended Push-up work?
The Suspended Push-up primarily targets the pectorals. It is classified as a chest exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Suspended Push-up should I do?
For muscle growth: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with a 3-second descent and a 1-second pause at the bottom, 90 seconds rest. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Suspended Push-up good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic chest patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Suspended Push-up?
Try the Dumbbell One Arm Decline Chest Press, Cable Standing Up Straight Crossovers or the Assisted Wide-grip Chest Dip (kneeling). Each trains the pectorals with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
