Push · None
How to do
Diamond Push-ups
A narrow-grip push-up that shifts emphasis to the triceps. Meaningfully harder than a standard push-up, and the usual next step once ordinary push-ups stop being challenging.
| Movement pattern | Push |
| Measured in | reps |
| Equipment | None |
| Effort weight in Alea | 1.5 per rep |
| Appears from | D12 exercise die upward |
How to do it
Setup
Take a push-up position but bring your hands together beneath your chest so your thumbs and index fingers form a rough diamond. Body in one straight line, midsection braced, feet a comfortable width apart for balance.
The movement
Lower your chest toward your hands, keeping your elbows tucked close to your ribs rather than flaring. Touch or come close, then press back up to a full lockout. The narrow hand position means a slightly shorter range but considerably more tricep demand.
Common mistakes
- Flaring the elbows out, which defeats the point and stresses the shoulders
- Hips sagging, as with any push-up variation
- Hands placed too far forward, up under the chin rather than the chest
- Wrists complaining because the narrow position increases the angle demand
Too hard? Scale it down
Do them with hands on a bench or a wall. Alternatively narrow your standard push-up hand position gradually over weeks rather than jumping straight to a full diamond.
Too easy? Scale it up
Elevate the feet, slow the descent, or move on to archer push-ups, which are further up this pool and considerably harder again.
Where this sits in the Alea pool
Alea draws exercises from an ordered pool of twenty, and the die size slices from the top of that list. Diamond Push-ups is number 12 of 20, so it enters the draw once your exercise die reaches D12. Below that, you will never roll it.
Its effort weight is 1.5 per rep, which the app uses when it builds 100-rep sessions and tailored workouts, so a session containing diamond push-ups carries fewer total reps than one built from lighter movements.
Roll it now in your browser, or set your dice and let it come up on its own.
General information, not medical or fitness advice. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness, use the easier variation when in doubt, and see the full training disclaimer before starting.
Let the dice pick it for you
Alea draws diamond push-ups at random alongside nineteen other bodyweight movements. Free, no account needed.
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Related
Diamond Push-ups FAQ
Are diamond push-ups bad for the wrists?
They demand more wrist extension than a standard push-up. Doing them on fists, on push-up handles, or narrowing the hands gradually all reduce the strain.
How much harder than normal push-ups?
Most people manage roughly half to two-thirds of their standard push-up numbers. If you do thirty push-ups, expect fifteen to twenty diamonds.
Do my thumbs have to touch?
No. A close hand position is the point; a literal diamond is just a convenient description. If it hurts your wrists, widen slightly and keep the elbows tucked.