Wrist Push Up

1. Kneel on a mat and place the backs of your hands on the floor with the fingers pointing toward each other.
2. Keep the wrists bent and the knuckles pressed into the mat, hands set slightly wider than the shoulders.
3. Extend the legs or stay on the knees, forming a straight line from head to the knees or heels.
4. Lower the chest toward the floor by bending the elbows, keeping the wrists stable and the hands flat.
5. Descend only as far as the wrists allow without pain, usually a few centimeters at first.
6. Press back up to the starting position, keeping the back of the hands fully in contact with the mat.
7. Repeat for the set, then shake out the wrists and stretch them gently.

Common Mistakes

• Starting on the toes too early: A full plank loads the wrists with far more than they are ready for. Begin from the knees or with hands on an elevated surface and build up over weeks.
• Hands rolling onto the knuckles: Letting the hands tip onto the knuckles turns this into a knuckle push up and removes the wrist work. Keep the entire back of the hand pressed flat.
• Pushing through sharp pain: Pain on the back of the wrist means the joint is being crushed, not strengthened. Stop, shorten the range, and spend more time on wrist conditioning first.
• Skipping the wrist warm up: Cold wrists are stiff and vulnerable in full flexion. Spend 3 to 5 minutes on wrist circles, flexion stretches and fist push ups before the first set.

Programming Tips

Use 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps at the end of an upper body session or in a dedicated wrist and grip block, no more than two or three times a week. It is a conditioning exercise for the wrist joint and forearm extensors rather than a chest builder, so it belongs after the main pressing work and alongside other hand strength training.

Set up on a padded mat, warm the wrists thoroughly, and begin from the knees or with the hands on a bench so the load is a fraction of bodyweight. Progress by moving from bench to floor on the knees, then to a full plank, and finally to deeper range, adding reps only when there is no pain the next day. The most common fault is loading the full plank before the wrists are ready, fixed by regressing to the knees and building the range slowly over months rather than weeks.

Common Questions

What does the wrist push up work?

It works the wrist extensors and the small stabilizing muscles of the wrist and hand under compressive load, with the chest, triceps and shoulders doing the pushing. The wrist joint itself adapts to the flexed loading over time.

Are wrist push ups safe?

They are safe for people who build up gradually from the knees and never push into sharp pain. Jumping straight into full plank wrist push ups is how people sprain the wrist.

How many wrist push ups should I do?

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 5 reps from the knees and add a rep or two each week. More than 10 to 15 reps per set rarely adds much and raises the risk of overuse.

Wrist push up or knuckle push up?

The knuckle push up keeps the wrist straight and is far easier on the joint, which makes it the better choice for most people. The wrist push up is a specialized drill for martial artists and gymnasts who need the wrist strong in full flexion.