The push-up plus is easy to miss because its most distinctive movement is small. At the top of a push-up, you keep the elbows straight and push the floor a little farther away, allowing the shoulder blades to move around the rib cage. The goal is a controlled reach, not a bigger back arch or a race to finish more repetitions.
This guide starts with the plus-only version, often called a scapular push-up. You can learn that movement without performing the lowering and pressing phases of a full push-up. Once the difference is clear, the full exercise becomes easier to understand.
What does the plus add?
In a normal push-up, bending and straightening the elbows accounts for much of the visible motion. In the plus phase, the elbows stay straight while the shoulder blades move farther apart around the ribs. That movement is called scapular protraction. The serratus anterior, which lies along the side of the rib cage and attaches to the shoulder blade, contributes to it.
ACE identifies the push-up plus as an exercise involving active protraction at the end of a push-up. That makes it a useful way to practice this specific action under load. It does not mean that one drill corrects every shoulder problem, diagnoses weak muscles or guarantees injury prevention. A photograph of your back is not enough to determine why a shoulder blade looks prominent.
Choose a starting position you can control
You do not need to begin on the floor. Try standing with your hands against a wall, or use a sturdy raised surface that cannot slide or tip. A higher hand position lets you practice with less body weight through the arms. Avoid chairs on wheels, loose tables and slippery counters.
For the floor version, place your palms approximately shoulder-width apart, with shoulders over hands. Step back into a plank, feet comfortably spaced. Keep your head in line with your body and your abdomen gently braced. Your elbows should be straight without forcing them beyond their normal range. If holding that position already feels like an all-out effort, use the incline version.
Learn the plus-only repetition
- Start steady. Settle into your chosen wall, incline or floor position. Take an ordinary breath and check that the surface is secure.
- Allow a small return. With elbows remaining straight, let your chest move slightly toward the support as the shoulder blades move toward one another. Do not collapse deeply between your shoulders.
- Reach away. Press through both hands so the upper back broadens and your chest moves away from the support. Think about moving the shoulder blades around the ribs rather than bending your elbows.
- Pause briefly. Keep the neck comfortable and the hips in place. The movement is modest; you do not need to exaggerate it to make the repetition count.
- Return smoothly. Repeat the small movement without dropping into the bottom position. End the set before the plank becomes a struggle.
A side view can help separate shoulder-blade movement from movement at the waist. If your belt line rises and falls markedly while the shoulder area barely changes, reduce the difficulty and practice a smaller reach.
Five common mistakes
- Bending the elbows on every repetition. That turns the plus-only drill into a partial push-up. Keep the arms long while learning the shoulder-blade action.
- Dropping the hips. The reach should not come from sagging through the lower back. Raise the hands to an incline if you cannot maintain your position.
- Shrugging toward the ears. Keep some comfortable space around the neck. Do not force the shoulders downward either; allow them to move naturally with the reach.
- Chasing a dramatic rounded shape. A huge hunch is not the target. Stop the reach when you have controlled shoulder-blade movement without changing the rest of your posture excessively.
- Holding the breath to survive the set. Use fewer repetitions or an easier angle. Being able to breathe is a useful check that you have not turned a skill drill into a maximal hold.
A modest practice example
For a healthy adult who can use the chosen position comfortably, a simple starting experiment is two sets of six to ten plus-only repetitions, with enough rest to reset your posture. This is an adjustable practice example, not a research-derived prescription or individualized rehabilitation plan. Start at the lower end if the movement is unfamiliar.
Write down the support height and the number of controlled repetitions. Progress can mean less wobbling at the same height, not just doing more. Once several sessions feel repeatable, lower the support slightly or add a repetition or two. Change one factor at a time. There is no requirement to progress to the floor if the incline version serves your training.
Adding the full push-up
A full push-up plus combines two actions: perform a controlled push-up, then add the reach after the elbows straighten. Do not add the plus halfway through the lowering phase. If ordinary push-ups are not yet comfortable, keep practicing the plus-only version separately from your push-up progression.
Choose a comfortable elbow path rather than forcing an extreme flare or squeeze. Keep the torso moving as a unit, and use an incline if your head or hips lead the movement. Adding instability is not necessary to learn the exercise; a stable floor or secure bench makes the basic action easier to observe.
Pair it with a balanced session
This drill can be a short skill practice or a light accessory exercise. It does not replace your entire pressing, pulling or lower-body program. Our plank shoulder-tap guide explores a different challenge: maintaining trunk position while one hand leaves the floor. For a separate posterior-chain exercise, see the stability-ball hamstring curl guide. These are options, not a required circuit.
When to stop and get help
Stop for sharp pain, numbness, tingling or unusual weakness. Persistent symptoms, recent surgery or a suspected shoulder injury call for assessment before continuing. Visible shoulder-blade winging has several possible explanations; do not assume this drill alone will fix it. This article provides general exercise education, not medical advice or a personal treatment plan.
Sources and further reading
- ACE: Shoulder function and the push-up plus
- ACE Exercise Library: Push-up technique
- Mayo Clinic: Weight-training technique and safety
Cover image: AI-generated illustration, reviewed for this guide. It is a visual aid, not an individualized technique assessment.
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