Dynamic stabilizer: Biceps Brachii (short head only)
Mechanics: Compound
Force: Push
Starting position
Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the edge of a box.
Placing your body weight on your hands, extend your feet backwards and straighten your body.
Execution
Keeping your body straight and elbows slightly tucked in, inhale as you lower your chest to the edge of the box.
Exhale as you push your body back up to the starting position.
Repeat until you meet the desired number of repetitions.
Comments and tips
Keep your body and neck neutral throughout the exercise.
For the safety of your shoulders, keep your elbows slightly tucked into your body. This will reduce the pressure on your shoulder joints.
To make the incline push-up on a box easier, use a taller box. On the other hand, to make it more challenging, use a shorter box.
If you are unable to perform the standard push-up, you can start with the incline push-up on a box and gradually lower the height of the box until you build enough strength to perform push-ups on the floor.
Push-ups on an incline are easier to perform compared with the standard push-up because placing your hands on an incline decreases the resistance your upper body has to push against. The knee push-up is another good alternative for making the standard push-up easier.
The incline push-up on a box emphasizes the activation of the lower pectoralis major over the upper pectoralis major, while the decline push-up emphasizes activation of the upper pectoralis major over the lower pectoralis major.
