How to Pike Press

Co-authored by Dean Theriot

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

The pike press is a popular muscle building exercise. It is a great way to work your upper body muscles, especially your deltoids and triceps in the upper shoulders and arms. To perform a pike press, “pike” your back so that your hips are elevated and your legs are straight. Then, lower your head forward and down until your forehead touches the ground. Finally, push yourself back up into the starting position.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Doing a Pike Press

1
Warm up with some arm swings and gentle cardio. Ride an exercise bike or jog lightly to warm up your muscles before attempting a pike press. It will increase blood flow to your connective tissues and increase your range of motion. It will also reduce your potential risk of injury.
2
Begin in a regular push-up position. Start the pike press as if it were a regular push up: hold your hands shoulder-width apart and flat on the ground, keep your legs straight, and balance your weight on your toes.^{[1]
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- Tighten your core muscles to ensure your upper body is supported when you do the pike press.
3
Note where your head touches the floor. It’s important that you note where your head would tap the ground if you were to perform a regular push-up. Aim to tap this same spot with your forehead when performing a pike press.^{[2]
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- You could even mark this spot on the floor with a small piece of tape or chalk, if you’re exercising on a hard floor.
4
“Pike” your body so that your hips are elevated. The name of the exercise comes from this position: move your toes up towards your hands, so that your back is inclined and your hips are elevated. Stand on the balls of your feet, and keep your legs extended and as straight as possible.^{[3]
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- Also keep your spine straight. Do not round your lower back or spine.
- You should feel tension in your shoulders and arms. This means your muscles are working.
5
Bend your elbows so that your head touches the floor. Make sure that your forehead taps the spot that you noted (or marked) earlier. Keep your weight on your hands and your spine straight as you lower your head down to the floor. You’ll feel the weight of your body in your shoulders and triceps.^{[4]
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- Touching your forehead to the same spot on the floor that it would contact during a regular push-up will ensure that your body moves forward and you use the full range of motion of your shoulders and upper arms.
- If you only move your head directly downward when you perform a pike press, you’ll restrict your range of motion and limit the amount your muscles benefit from the exercise.
6
Push your body back up to the starting position. Exhale as you push yourself back to the starting position. Move slowly and with control, and keep your weight distributed evenly between your arms and legs. Do not try to use momentum to help you push back up, as this will not work your muscles.^{[5]
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- Repeat the same motions to do a set of pike presses. Try doing two sets of five or two sets of ten.
- Start this exercise with a small range of motion so you maintain control. You can easily injure your neck doing this if you lose control while you are still getting the hang of the move. As you get used to the motion, you’ll become more comfortable with lowering your head to the floor.
7
Stretch your shoulders and arm muscles. After doing a pike press, stretch out the muscle groups in your shoulders and upper arms. Bend your arm at the elbow and place it behind your head. Use your other hand to gently press your elbow down to stretch your arm. Repeat on the other side.
- To stretch your shoulders, stand with your legs hip width apart and interlace your fingers behind your back. Pull your fingers behind you towards the floor and raise your chin and chest to the ceiling.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Doing Pike Press Variations

1
Do a pike push-up. For a pike push-up, you’ll keep your body in a “piked” position, with your hips elevated and legs straight. When performing a pike push-up, your feet should be about 6–8 inches (15–3 0cm) farther from your hands than they were for the pike press. The push-up itself consists of a similar motion: keep your legs straight, lower your forehead until it touches the ground, then press yourself back up to the starting position.^{[6]
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- Unlike the pike press, which works the front of your deltoids and shoulders, a pike push-up will work your upper chest.
2
Do a supported handstand press. To perform a handstand press, you’ll lower your head towards the ground while in a handstand. Once you get into a handstand against a wall, bend your elbows and lower your head towards the ground. Inhale as you lower your head. Make sure your head lightly touches the ground. Then, push your body upwards and return to a handstand position.^{[7]
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- A handstand press will work your deltoids and triceps, along with other shoulder muscles, just like a pike press.
- Use the wall as support as you do the handstand press. You can also ask someone to spot you and act as a support. They will stand to one side of you and lightly hold your legs in place.
3
Perform an unsupported handstand press. In this exercise, you’ll do a handstand press with no wall or support. You will need to get into a pike press starting position and then transition into a handstand position. Keep your core tight and activate your arm and shoulder muscles as you lower your head towards the ground.^{[8]
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- Only lower your head as low as you can manage. Then, with control, press yourself back up into a handstand.
- This is a difficult exercise and may take some practice to master. You may need to do a few rounds of pike press to warm up your muscles before attempting a handstand press.
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What muscles do you work with a pike press push up?

Dean Theriot
Personal Trainer
Dean Theriot is a Personal Trainer and the Owner of Timberline Fitness in Houston, Texas. With over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, Dean specializes in personal, group, and sport-specific training. Dean holds a BS in Exercise Physiology from LSU. Dean combines resistance and cardiovascular training with pilates exercises for comprehensive workouts for his clients. His sport-specific training includes football, basketball, and baseball.

Dean Theriot

Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

It works your anterior deltoid. This exercise is very similar to doing a dumbbell overhead press.

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