The Straight Bar Inclined Push Up

How to do the exercise

The Straight Bar Incline Push Up is a beginner-friendly yet highly effective push exercise for building upper body strength in calisthenics. It’s perfect if you want to work your lower chest, shoulders, and triceps while reducing pressure on your wrists and lower back. Here’s how to perform it step by step:

1. Starting Position

Stand facing a straight bar set at hip or chest height. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the bar, grip firmly, and step back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and glutes to maintain stability and do not arch your back.

2. Lowering Phase

Bend your elbows slowly, lowering your chest toward the bar in a controlled motion. Try to have the bar touch you just below the chest. Keep your elbows at a 30–45° angle from your body and maintain a neutral spine. Inhale as you lower to maximize control and muscle engagement.

3. Pushing Back Up

Press through your palms to extend your arms and push your body back to the starting position. Keep your core tight, exhale during the push.

4. Reset and Repeat

Pause briefly at the top for stability, then repeat for the desired number of reps. Adjust the bar height to increase or decrease the difficulty: lower for more challenge, higher for easier reps.

Recommended Equipment for Straight Bar Incline Push Ups

Parallettes – For better wrist positioning and more flexibility

Shop Now

Liquid Chalk – For grip and security during the exercise.

Shop Now

Elbow Sleeves – For elbow security and stability.

Shop Now

Wrist Wraps – To stabilize your wrists, especially during longer sessions.

Shop Now

Benefits of the exercise

The Straight Bar Incline Push Up offers excellent strength-building benefits while being joint-friendly. It’s a perfect progression for beginners and a great activation for advanced athletes.

• Builds chest, shoulders, and triceps strength

• Improves core stability and posture

• Reduces wrist strain compared to floor push ups

• Easy to scale difficulty by adjusting bar height

This exercise blends proper technique with control, making it effective for muscle building and injury prevention.

Main muscles used

The Straight Bar Incline Push Up mainly targets:

• Lower Chest (Pectorals)

• Shoulders (Deltoids)

• Triceps

• Core muscles (stabilization)

It’s an ideal bodyweight alternative to bench pressing and helps develop pushing strength in a safe and controlled way.

If you're looking for other exercises, check out our Youtube video:

Mistakes to avoid

Even though it’s easier than a standard push up, there are common mistakes that reduce effectiveness or cause strain. Avoid these:

• Flaring elbows: Keep elbows at a safe angle to protect shoulders.

• Sagging hips: Engage core to avoid lower back strain.

• Rushing the movement: Maintain control for maximum muscle activation.

Progress gradually and focus on perfect form for the best results.

Discover more Exercises

Looking for more ways to level up your training? Check out our full exercise overview or try these effective exercises that perfectly complement your training:

Please read our legal disclaimer before starting your workout.

Phil

Hi, I’m Phil, the founder of GORNATION. I brought the brand to life in 2015 with a clear mission: to create a premium brand for Calisthenics, something that didn’t exist before. I live and breathe this sport, doing calisthenics myself since 2013. My vision is to unite 1 million people around the world through calisthenics, building a strong, supportive community. I'm happy that you're part of that!