Dynamic stabilizer: Biceps Brachii (short head only)
Mechanics: Compound
Force: Push
Starting position
Get on all fours with your hands positioned directly under your shoulders or closer together.
Shift your weight on to your hands and lift your feet off the floor. Cross your ankles.
Execution
Maintaining a neutral back, inhale and tuck in your elbows as you lower your chest onto your hands.
Exhale as you push your body back up to the starting position.
Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Comments and tips
The close-grip push-up on knees is a beginner bodyweight exercise. Once you have mastered the form, try the close-grip push-up.
To maintain a neutral back, engage your core. Think of keeping your body straight and rigid.
Tuck your elbows into your body so that your triceps brachii are emphasized over your pectoralis major.
To make this exercise easier, place your hands on an elevated surface.
To make the close-grip push-up on knees more difficult, wear a weighted vest or load a chain around your torso. You can also place your hands closer together so that the pointer finger and thumb of each hand meet, as in the diamond push-up on knees.
You can perform this exercise with your feet remaining on the floor to increase your stability. However, ensure that you are still pivoting on your knees when you perform the exercise.
