Looking for a way to make your push-ups more challenging? Diamond push-ups put a twist on the classic exercise by bringing your hands closer together, placing more emphasis on your triceps while still working your chest, shoulders, and core.
You don’t need any equipment to give them a go, but good form makes all the difference. In this guide, we’ll cover how to do diamond push-ups, plus the muscles they work and tips to help you get your technique right.
Diamond push-ups are a variation of the standard push-up where your hands are positioned close together underneath your chest. Your thumbs and index fingers come together to create a diamond or triangle shape, which gives the exercise its name.
This narrower hand position changes how your upper-body muscles work compared with a standard push-up, placing more emphasis on your triceps. Your chest and shoulders are still involved, while your core helps keep your body stable throughout each rep.
Diamond push-ups can feel noticeably harder than standard push-ups, so it’s worth getting comfortable with regular push-up form before progressing to this variation.
Diamond push-ups work several muscles across your upper body, with your triceps doing much of the work.
The primary muscles worked are the:
Pectorals (chest)
Anterior deltoids (front of the shoulders)
And the secondary muscles worked include your:
Core
Serratus anterior (the fan-shaped muscles at the sides of your ribs)
Upper back
Quadriceps
The close hand position means your triceps take on more of the load than they typically would during a standard push-up. Your chest and shoulders help with the pushing movement, while your core, glutes, and legs work to keep your body stable and aligned.
Diamond push-ups offer several benefits as part of an upper-body or bodyweight workout:
The narrow hand position places more emphasis on your triceps than a standard push-up.
Your chest and shoulders work alongside your triceps to control and complete each rep.
Your core and glutes help keep your body aligned throughout the movement.
You can perform diamond push-ups almost anywhere.
Watch the video below to see the movement in action, then follow the steps to perform a diamond push-up with good form.
Start on all fours and place your hands on the floor underneath your chest.
Bring your hands together so that your thumbs and index fingers touch, creating a diamond or triangle shape between them.
Extend your legs behind you and come up onto your toes into a plank position, creating a straight line from your head through your hips to your heels.
Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to help keep your body stable.
Bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest towards your hands, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides.
Lower yourself as far as you comfortably can while maintaining good form and keeping your body in a straight line.
Push through your hands and straighten your arms to return to the starting position.
That’s one rep. Aim to keep the movement smooth and controlled rather than rushing through your set.
“When coaching diamond push-ups, I look for three things: a comfortable narrow hand position, elbows tracking back and a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Don’t force your fingers into a perfect diamond. If the position feels uncomfortable, move your hands slightly further apart.”
As you lower yourself towards the floor, keep your elbows close to your body. Allowing them to flare too far out can change the movement and take some of the emphasis away from your triceps.
If your hips begin to sag towards the floor, you’re likely losing tension through your core. Likewise, pushing your hips upwards can make the exercise easier, but it also changes your body position.
Think of your diamond push-up as a moving plank. Keep your head, shoulders, hips, and heels in a straight line throughout the exercise rather than allowing your hips to drop or lift.
Brace your core and squeeze your glutes before you begin each rep. This will help you maintain a stable position as you lower and push yourself away from the floor.
Avoid lifting your head to look forwards or dropping your chin towards your chest. Keep your neck in line with your spine and look towards the floor.
Lower yourself steadily rather than dropping quickly towards the floor. Keeping the movement controlled helps you maintain good technique throughout the rep.
Diamond push-ups can be challenging, particularly when you first try them. Focus on controlled, good-quality reps and stop your set when you can no longer maintain your form.
Position your hands underneath your chest rather than out in front of your shoulders. This helps you maintain a stronger position as you lower yourself towards the floor.
Your thumbs and index fingers don’t have to create a perfect diamond. If bringing your hands completely together feels uncomfortable, move them slightly further apart while keeping a narrow hand position.
Finding full diamond push-ups too challenging? Or ready to make them harder? The alternatives and variations below are generally ordered from least to most difficult, helping you choose the right option for your ability.
Incline diamond push-ups: Place your hands close together on a stable raised surface, such as an adjustable bench or step, and perform the push-up from there. Raising your upper body reduces the load and can be a useful alternative for diamond push-ups while you build strength.
Kneeling diamond push-ups: Set up with your hands in the same diamond position but keep your knees on the floor instead of extending your legs back into a plank. This reduces the amount of bodyweight you need to lift while allowing you to practise the same upper-body movement.
Standard push-ups: If you’re still developing the strength needed for diamond push-ups, start with standard push-ups. Positioning your hands around shoulder-width apart provides a wider base and spreads the work more evenly across your chest, shoulders and triceps.
Close-grip push-ups: If creating the full diamond shape feels uncomfortable, try placing your hands close together without touching your thumbs and index fingers. You’ll still use a narrower hand position while giving your wrists and hands a little more room.
Decline diamond push-ups: Place your feet on a stable raised surface and perform diamond push-ups with your hands on the floor. Elevating your feet increases the amount of bodyweight your upper body has to control, making each rep more demanding.
While simple in concept, diamond push ups can be a challenging exercise to master and do right. Get in touch with one of our friendly personal trainers at your local Gym to help you perfect your technique and nail your fitness routine.
