Perfect Form: How To Do Wall Push Ups (& Variations)

I dunno about you, but I feel like the number and quality of full push-ups I can do, is a good indicator of my upper body strength. However, for longer than I would like to admit, I’ve been carrying a shoulder injury with chronic pain which it turns out is exacerbated by poor posture and high usage of technology (aka tech neck). 

So while I rehab my shoulder, I’ve been using different variations of conventional push-ups to maintain some strength and the range of motion in my shoulder joint. One variation I’ve used regularly are wall pushups, which themselves are a variation of the incline push-up.  

What Are Wall Push-Ups?

Like regular push-ups, wall push-ups are a great strength training exercise you can do just using your own body weight. The primary muscle groups targeted by wall push ups are chest (pectoral muscles), shoulders, and upper arms. 

When done with good form, they do work your abdominal muscles too. Wall pushups are often used for beginners or for those, like me, who have difficulty performing standard push-ups on the floor, for various reasons. 

Wall push-ups are a good way to build upper body strength which can be progressed to more challenging variations as you build strength, 

Benefits of Wall Push-Ups

One of the biggest benefits of wall push-ups over a standard pushup, is that less stress is placed on the wrists, elbows, and shoulders due to the more upright position. This makes them more accessible for for those with joint issues, mobility issues or those recovering from injuries.

As a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, I know how easy it can be to overlook what’s required of clients when exercise move from standing to the floor, in quick succession. 

While wall push-ups primarily focus on the upper body, they also engage the core muscles to maintain a straight body position. This can contribute to overall core strength and stability.

How To Do Wall Push Ups 

Start in a standing position, facing a wall, arms length away, with your feet shoulder-width apart. I like to prepare by squeezing my shoulder blades, then rolling my shoulders back and down. 

Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core muscles to maintain a stable posture.

Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall while keeping your body straight. Your feet should remain on the ground.

Push against the wall to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

To maximise the effectiveness of wall push-ups and reduce your risk of injury, it’s important to perform them with proper form. Some things to remember / think about include your hand positioning and body alignment.

Hands should be placed at shoulder height and while performing the movement, avoid sagging your lower back or arching your upper back by maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels.

Variations To Try

As your strength improves, you can use wall push-ups as a stepping stone to progress to more challenging upper body exercises, such as traditional push-ups on the floor or other variations.

Variations can also include regressions where you modify or simplify an exercise to make it more accessible or less challenging. 

How To Progress Your Wall Push-Ups

There are plenty of ways to progress a wall push-up to make it a more challenging exercise. Here are some options / ideas: 

• Move your feet further away from the wall – this increases the angle of your body in regards to the wall and challenges your upper body more. 
• Take one leg off the ground – with one leg lifted off the ground throughout the movement, you’re increasing instability, challenging core stability and upper body muscles more intensively.
• Use a staggered hand position – have one hand higher than the other. This variation challenges the muscles different. 
• Single arm wall push up – this is quite an advanced move but a nice challenge. Have one hand on the wall, while the other is placed behind your back. This increases the load on the working arm and requires greater stability.
• Plyometric wall push ups – add an explosive element by pushing off the wall with enough force to lift your hands off briefly before returning to the wall (you can even add a clap). This incorporates power and can further challenge your upper body.
• Add some resistance – you can try wearing a weighted vest or backpack to add resistance to the wall push-up, making it more challenging for your muscles.
• Incline push-ups – essentially, this variation is increasing the challenge by lowering the surface towards the floor. Use either a bench, step, chair (or similar) to place your hands. As you get stronger, you can decrease the incline even working your way towards decline push-ups. 

How To Regress Your Wall Push-Ups

When it comes to regressions for wall push ups you do still have a few options, if needed: 

• Move your feet closer to the wall – this reduces the angle of your body in regards to the wall and places less of a challenge on your upper body.
• Reduce the range of motion – instead of bringing your chest all the way to the wall, lower your body partway and then push back up. 
• Knee push-ups – assume a kneeling position in front of the wall and perform push-ups with your hands on the wall. 

Whichever variation of wall push-up you choose, you can also adjust the intensity of the exercise to increase of decrease the level of challenge. This can be done by adjusting the number of reps, or even reducing / increasing recovery time between sets. 

You could also add half way holds on the way down / up, or simply slow the entire movement down to increase the time your muscles are under tension. 

Incorporating Wall Push-Ups Into Your Fitness Routine

The great thing about push ups or wall push ups, is that you don’t need any special equipment and can do them pretty much anywhere making them easy include in any exercise routine! 

If you wanna build up strength in the push-up position, and work on your push-up form you can create yourself a wall push up challenge. Depending on your strength level, you can start with 10 each day (for 6 days a week with one rest day) and then add 10 more each week. 

If you’re looking for guidance to level up your regular floor push-ups with perfect form and / or work on your muscle strength, you have to check out my Beyond Strength programme. It specifically breaks down the movement pattern of push ups (amongst others) providing a great workout wherever you are on your fitness journey.  

You can also use them as part of an upper body workout, for example by adding them to these 3 Exercises to Strengthen Your Arms, Shoulders & Core to make an upper body circuit. 

Reckon you’re gonna add wall pushups to your workout routine?! Or were you already a fan? Drop a comment below to share your thoughts. If there’s another move you’re keen to master, I’d love to know!

Elle

P.S Safety always comes first. If you are new to exercise ensure you seek advice from your GP. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, wear appropriate clothing and carry out drills in a suitable space. Technique is paramount, and nothing should hurt. Should you experience pain, discomfort, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath etc, STOP and consult your GP.