What is Aztec Push Up?
What is Aztec Push Up? The Aztec Push Up is an explosive plyometric push-up where you push off the ground and touch your toes mid-air; it primarily targets chest, triceps, shoulders and upper back. Difficulty: Medium — requires upper-body strength, core control, and landing stability.
How to Do Aztec Push Up
- Start in plank: Set hands under shoulders, feet hip-width, body in a straight line. Brace your core and engage glutes to protect the lower back.
- Lower with control: Bend elbows and lower your chest toward the floor with controlled descent while keeping a neutral spine and tight core.
- Explosive push: Drive through your palms explosively to lift hands and torso off the ground, generating enough height to reach your toes safely.
- Pike and touch: At peak height, keep legs straight, pike at the hips and reach down to touch your toes before starting the descent.
- Soft landing: Land softly on hands and toes, absorb impact through slightly bent elbows and hips, return to plank, reset, then repeat for reps.
Muscle Groups
Triceps, Chest, Shoulders, Trapezius, Back
Description
Start in the proper position for a standard push-up.Drop down towards the ground like you would for a standard push-up.
When you reach the bottom of your range of motion, use your arms to push yourself in an explosive motion as high into the air as you can.
While in the air, reach down and touch your toes while keeping your legs straight. (Complete a pike in while in the air.)
Land as softly as you can on your hands and toes back in the push-up position.
Movement Group
Push
Required Equipment
None (bodyweight only)
Progressions and Regressions
None
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of Aztec Push Ups?
Aztec Push Ups build explosive upper-body power, increase chest, triceps, shoulder and upper-back strength, and improve core stability, coordination and dynamic landing control useful for athletic performance.
What common mistakes should I avoid when doing Aztec Push Ups?
Avoid rounding the spine, flaring elbows, insufficient hip drive, and hard landings. Focus on core bracing, full hip extension on the push, straight legs for the pike, and soft, controlled landings.
How can I progress to or regress from Aztec Push Ups?
Regress with incline or knee push-ups, slow eccentric push-ups and assisted plyo jumps. Progress by increasing height, adding clapping push-ups, deficit plyos, or weighted push-ups once form and landing control are consistent.