Hand-Release Push-Up

PushBW

Push-up where the hands are lifted completely off the floor at the bottom of each rep, forcing a true dead-stop with zero stretch reflex or momentum — a favorite of military and tactical fitness tests for eliminating partial reps.

Demo: Exercise tutorial demo

Sets

3

Reps

10-15

Rest

1 min

Contraindications

None significant.

Setup

Standard push-up position.

Execution

  1. 1Lower the chest all the way to the floor
  2. 2Lift both hands off the floor briefly at the bottom
  3. 3Place hands back down and press up explosively
  4. 4Reset to full plank at the top

Key cues

  • Chest touches, hands come up, then press
  • No bounce — full dead stop every rep
  • Reset the plank fully at the top
  • Keep the body rigid through the whole sequence

Common faults

  • Not fully touching the chest to the floor
  • Rushing the hand release, turning it into a bounce
  • Sagging hips during the hand-release pause
  • Losing plank shape after the press

Tweaks

  • Add a full-body prone pause before pressing
  • Combine with a deficit for even greater range
  • Weighted vest for added load

Regressions

Standard Push-Up

Progressions

Deficit Push-Up

Muscles

Primary: Pectoralis Major, Triceps Brachii, Anterior Deltoid

Secondary: Core

Sources

Attribution: Tactical fitness / military PT canon