Pseudo-Planche Push-Up

An advanced push-up variation with hands positioned near the hips and fingers turned backward, heavily targeting the shoulders and chest.

How to Perform

  1. Start in a high plank position and slide your hands back so they are positioned beside your lower ribs or waist rather than beneath your shoulders
  2. Turn your fingers so they point backward (toward your feet) or out to the sides
  3. Lean your torso forward so your shoulders are well ahead of your hands, placing significant load on the anterior deltoids
  4. Keeping your body in a straight line, bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor
  5. Descend as low as your mobility and strength allow while maintaining the forward lean
  6. Push back up to the starting position, maintaining the forward body lean throughout
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions

Form Cues

Do:

  • Maintain the forward lean throughout the entire movement; your shoulders should stay ahead of your wrists
  • Keep your core and glutes engaged to maintain a rigid body line
  • Point your elbows backward, not outward, as you descend
  • Start with a mild forward lean and increase it over time as you build strength

Don't:

  • Shift your weight backward during the push phase, which turns it into a regular push-up
  • Ignore wrist discomfort; warm up your wrists thoroughly and adjust hand placement if needed
  • Flare your elbows out to the sides
  • Compromise body alignment by letting hips sag or pike

Progressions

The pseudo-planche push-up develops the shoulder strength and forward lean required for planche training. Once you can perform 3 sets of 8-10 reps, you have built serious pressing power and can work toward the one-arm push-up or begin dedicated planche progression work.

Common Mistakes

  • Insufficient forward lean: If your shoulders are directly over your hands, you are doing a regular push-up; lean further forward
  • Wrist pain: Warm up thoroughly and consider using parallettes or push-up handles to keep wrists in a neutral position
  • Losing the lean during the push: Concentrate on keeping your shoulders ahead of your hands on every rep
  • Hands too far back too soon: Progress gradually; start with hands just slightly behind shoulder level and move them back toward your hips over weeks