Diamond Push-Up

Which muscles does it train?

Equipment needed

How to perform it

For strength, 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps with 2 to 4 minutes of rest are common. For hypertrophy, use 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps with 60 to 120 seconds of rest.

Execution and technique cues

• Place the hands directly under the sternum in a diamond or triangle shape with the thumbs and index fingers touching or nearly touching, and extend the body into a straight plank position.
• Brace the core, keep the hips in a straight line with the shoulders and heels, and do not allow the hips to sag or pike throughout the set.
• Lower the chest toward the hands under control, keeping the elbows tracking backward and close to the sides to maximise triceps loading.
• Press explosively back to the top, fully extending the arms and actively squeezing the triceps at the lockout position.

Common mistakes

• Placing the hands too far apart, which eliminates the close elbow tracking that makes the diamond push-up effective for triceps isolation.
• Allowing the hips to pike upward to reduce the depth of each rep and avoid the most demanding portion of the movement.
• Dropping uncontrolled through the eccentric phase rather than lowering with control, which stresses the wrists and shoulders and reduces muscle-building stimulus by neglecting the eccentric portion.

Frequently asked questions

Is the diamond push-up actually more effective for the triceps than a close-grip push-up?

The very narrow hand position and close elbow tracking in the diamond push-up produce strong activation across all three heads of the triceps, particularly the long head. It consistently shows higher triceps EMG activity compared to wider grip push-up variations.

Can the diamond push-up cause wrist problems?

The narrow hand position changes wrist extension angle and places more load on the wrist joint compared to a standard push-up. Those with existing wrist issues may find a slightly wider close-grip variation more comfortable, or should address wrist mobility and strength before progressing to the full diamond position.

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