Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBodyweight
- MechanicsCompound
- Force TypePush
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Abs, Shoulders, Triceps
Target Muscle Group
Chest
Eccentric Only Push Up Overview
The eccentric only push up is a push up variation that serves as a stepping stone to progress lifters to being able to perform the bodyweight push up.
By performing the eccentric only push up you will build the pushing muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) necessary to perform a bodyweight push up.
Eccentric Only Push Up Instructions
- Assume a quadruped position on the floor with your hands under your shoulders, toes tucked, and knees under hips.
- Extend one leg at a time and assume a push up position with the legs straight, elbows extended, and head in a neutral position looking at the floor.
- Slowly descend to the floor by retracting the shoulder blades and unlocking the elbows.
- Descend until the upper arms are parallel or your chest touches the floor.
- Once you have completed the eccentric portion of the movement, allow your knees to touch the floor and resume the same quadruped position in which you started.
- Repeat the entire process for the desired number of repetitions.
Eccentric Only Push Up Tips
- Emphasizing the eccentric is one of the easiest ways to build up to a regular pushup. Learn to control the eccentric before you worry about the concentric.
- Your arms should resemble an arrow in the bottom position, not a “T”.
- Your spine should remain rigid throughout the entire exercise, think of the push up as a moving plank.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs before descending to keep the ribcage neutral.
- Keep the chin down and don’t look forward.
- Don’t allow the head to jut forward, the chest should touch at the same time as your nose.
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