Clap Push-Up

PushBW

An explosive push-up where the hands leave the floor entirely at the top, allowing a clap before landing back in the plank — builds upper-body power and rate of force development.

Demo: Plyometric training demo

Sets

3

Reps

5-8

Rest

1:30

Contraindications

Wrist/shoulder joint stress on landing — master plyo push-ups first, land soft.

Setup

Standard push-up position.

Execution

  1. 1Lower under control to the bottom of the push-up
  2. 2Explode upward hard enough to leave the floor
  3. 3Clap the hands together in mid-air
  4. 4Land softly back in the plank position, absorbing the impact with bent elbows

Key cues

  • Explode from the chest, not just the arms
  • Snap the clap quick and return hands to position
  • Land soft — bend the elbows to absorb impact
  • Reset the plank before the next rep

Common faults

  • Insufficient power, barely leaving the ground
  • Landing stiff-armed, jarring the wrists/shoulders
  • Losing plank position on landing
  • Rushing without full extension on the drive

Tweaks

  • Progress from plyo push-up (no clap) to single clap to double clap
  • Perform on a soft surface initially to build confidence
  • Add a landing pause before the next rep

Regressions

Muscles

Primary: Pectoralis Major, Triceps Brachii, Anterior Deltoid

Secondary: Core

Sources

Attribution: General plyometric training canon