# Push-Up to Down Dog

A push-up that finishes by pushing the hips up and back into a downward dog, an inverted V on hands and feet. Trains the chest and triceps, with the shoulders and lats working through the reach.

- Intermediate · Compound
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/modified-hindu-push-up/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/push-up-to-down-dog/

## Muscles worked

- Mid chest: 8/10
- Triceps: 8/10
- Front delts: 7/10
- Serratus anterior: 5/10
- Lats: 4/10
- Traps: 3/10

## How to do the Push-Up to Down Dog

1. Start in a high plank, hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
3. Press up and push your hips up and back into an inverted V.
4. Shift forward to a straight-body plank before the next rep.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Set up in a high plank with hands slightly wider than shoulder width and feet together or apart.
2. Tighten your stomach and glutes so your hips stay level with your shoulders.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your body as one unit until your chest nears the floor.
4. Keep elbows angled back rather than flared straight out as you reach the bottom position.
5. Press through your palms and push your hips up and back into an inverted V.
6. Straighten your arms fully, let your head move between your upper arms, and lower your heels toward the floor.
7. Shift your weight forward and lower your hips back to a straight-body plank for the next rep.

## Common mistakes

- Hips sagging below the shoulders
- Cutting the bottom short
- Elbows flaring straight out
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Bending elbows during transition
- Returning to a piked plank

## Form cues

- Keep elbows angled back
- Body moves as one
- Hips up and back
- Press through the palms
- Return to full plank

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps · rest 2 min · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (best fit): 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Weight plates**: [Weighted Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/weighted-push-up/), [Deficit Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/deficit-push-up/)
- **Medicine ball**: [Lying Medicine Ball Chest Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-medicine-ball-chest-press/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Band Assisted Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-assisted-push-up/), [Resistance Band Floor Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-floor-press/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Crossover Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-offset-push-up/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Cobra Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/cobra-push-up/) — 40% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Close Grip Knee Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/close-grip-knee-push-up/) — 53% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Push-Up to Down Dog — 64% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Side to Side Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/side-to-side-push-up/) — 72% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Single Arm Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-push-up/) — 110% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Push-Up to Down Dog work?

Primary: Mid chest 8/10, Triceps 8/10. Also works: Front delts 7/10, Serratus anterior 5/10, Lats 4/10, Traps 3/10.

### When should I do the Push-Up to Down Dog in a workout?

Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 7 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Push-Up to Down Dog?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps, rest 2 min, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Push-Up to Down Dog?

Weight plates: Weighted Push-Up, Deficit Push-Up. Medicine ball: Lying Medicine Ball Chest Press. Resistance bands: Band Assisted Push-Up, Resistance Band Floor Press. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Crossover Push-Up.

### What is an easier version of the Push-Up to Down Dog?

Close Grip Knee Push-Up (53% of bodyweight), Cobra Push-Up (40% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Push-Up to Down Dog?

Side to Side Push-Up (72% of bodyweight), Single Arm Push-Up (110% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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