How To Do An Incline Pushup (Plus Modifications To Suit Your Fitness Level)

Here's how to do incline pushups properly, the benefits, plus how to modify the move to suit your athletic needs, according to two personal trainers.

You'll definitely feel it more in your chest compared to a normal pushup. In addition to working the upper body, with proper form, you'll also be working your core, back, and leg muscles, too.

"I particularly love incline pushups as a way to build up to doing a full pushup on the floor," Stryker says, "and prefer them to knee pushups at helping to build up strength and proper pushup form."

If you have a shoulder injury, it's probably best to avoid pushups—check with your doctor before giving them a try. Similarly, elbow and wrist injuries may not fare well here, either. However, incline pushups do put less pressure on those joints than regular pushups.

Williams says you can also perform incline pushups with a single leg lifted, to work one leg at a time. And to challenge your balance and core strength a bit more, try placing your hands on an exercise ball rather than something solid.

One way to make incline pushups easier is to come to your knees. In addition to that, "The higher the surface, the easier incline pushups will be," Stryker says. "So doing them on a countertop will be easier than on a low bench." Keep increasing the height until you find one that works for you. You can even try wall pushups in the very beginning and get used to the movement of pushing away from the wall at a very slight incline.

Pushups are a go-to exercise for a reason, but if they're not quite accessible to you yet, incline pushups are a great place to start. With the ability to adjust your incline to any height that works for you, you can work on your strength and form, and soon enough, you'll be making serious pushup progress.