Diamond Pushups
Also called triangle push-up
Quick answer
The diamond push-up is a push-up with your hands close together under your chest, index fingers and thumbs touching to form a diamond shape. The narrow hand position shifts more of the work onto the triceps, with the chest and front shoulders still helping.
Written by the GymStreak coaching team · Updated
Muscles worked
How to do Diamond Pushups
- 1
Start in a high plank on your toes with your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- 2
Bring your hands together under your chest so your index fingers and thumbs touch to form a diamond. This is your starting position.
- 3
Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward your hands, keeping your elbows angled back along your sides.
- 4
Go down until your chest is close to your hands, pause briefly, then press back up to straight arms.
Form cues
- Place the diamond under your breastbone, not under your face.
- Hold a straight line from head to heels; brace your abs and glutes.
- Let your elbows travel back close to your ribs, not straight out.
- Lower until your chest nearly touches your hands.
- Drop to your knees when your range starts to shrink.
Breathing: Breathe in as you lower your chest toward your hands; breathe out as you press back up.
Common Diamond Pushups mistakes
Elbows flaring straight out to the sides
Keep your elbows angled back along your body so your triceps do the work and your shoulders stay comfortable.
Hips sagging or piking up
Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs to hold a straight plank line.
Only lowering a few inches
Switch to a knee or incline version if you can't bring your chest close to your hands.
Hands too far forward under the face
Shift your hands back under your chest so your shoulders sit closer to above your wrists.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginnerson knees or an incline if needed | 1–3 | 8–12 | 60–90 s |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 6–12 | 1–2 min |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 12–20 | 30–60 s |
Starting ranges in line with the ACSM guidance on resistance training. Pick a load you can lift with good form for every rep, and add weight or reps gradually.
Diamond Pushups variations and alternatives
Variations
- Kneeling diamond push-up
Takes some bodyweight off for beginners while keeping the narrow hand position.
- Incline diamond push-up
Hands on a bench or box; the higher the surface, the easier it gets.
- Single-leg diamond push-up
Lifting one foot adds a core and balance challenge.
- Decline diamond push-up
Raising your feet on a bench makes it harder.
Alternatives
- Close-grip bench press
Lets you load the same close-grip press with heavier weights.
- Tricep dips
Another bodyweight triceps builder that's harder at full bodyweight.
- Push-up
The standard hand position spreads more of the work to the chest.
- Rope tricep pushdown
An isolation option with easily adjustable weight.
Diamond Pushups FAQ
What muscles do diamond push-ups work?
Diamond push-ups work the triceps most, since the narrow hand position makes your elbows bend and straighten through a large range. The chest and front shoulders still help press you up, and your abs, glutes and quads work to hold your body in a straight plank from head to heels.
Diamond push-ups vs regular push-ups: which is better?
Neither is better overall; they bias different muscles. Regular push-ups, with hands slightly wider than your shoulders, share the work more evenly between chest, shoulders and triceps. Diamond push-ups shift more work to the triceps and usually feel harder, so most people can do fewer of them. Including both gives you a well-rounded bodyweight push.
Why do diamond push-ups hurt my wrists?
The close hand position bends and angles your wrists more than a standard push-up. Try turning your fingers slightly outward, moving the diamond back under your chest, or pressing from push-up handles or dumbbells to keep your wrists straighter. A close-grip push-up with hands just inside shoulder width is another option.
How do I get better at diamond push-ups?
Start with a version you can do for 8–12 good reps, such as kneeling or incline diamond push-ups, then lower the incline or move to your toes as you get stronger. Slow three-second lowering phases also help. Training them two or three times a week, with rest days in between, is a sensible approach.
Sources
Perfect Your Diamond Pushups Form
Get detailed 3D demonstrations, track your progress, and receive personalized workout plans featuring this exercise.
