What is Cardio Push Up?

The Cardio Push Up is a medium-difficulty bodyweight exercise combining standard push-ups with short mountain-climber bursts at the top of each rep. It primarily targets chest, triceps, shoulders, and core while raising heart rate for conditioning. Suitable for medium-level trainees connecting strength and cardio.

How to Do Cardio Push Up

  1. Set Up Plank: Get into a straight-arm plank with protracted scapulas and posterior pelvic tilt; hands under shoulders and body aligned from head to heels.
  2. Lower with Control: Bend elbows and lower chest toward the floor keeping elbows closeish; maintain a braced core and neutral neck to protect shoulders and spine.
  3. Press to Top: Drive through palms to fully extend arms, maintaining scapular protraction and a tight midline—do not over-arch the lower back.
  4. Add Climbers: At the top, perform 3–5 seconds of controlled mountain climbers: alternate driving knees toward chest while keeping hips low and core engaged.
  5. Flow Reps: Lower immediately after climbers and continue without resting; keep steady tempo, breathe, and stop if form breaks or shoulder pain occurs.

Muscle Groups

Triceps, Chest, Core, Shoulders

Description

Get into a Straight Arm Plank position, with protracted scapulas and a posterior pelvic tilt engaged.

Keep your body solid as you perform a normal push up. At the top of each rep, while keeping your arms extended, perform 3-5 seconds of Mountain Climbers.

Each push up + mountain climbers at the end is counted as 1 rep. You should connect consecutive reps without resting.

Repeat the motion for the required reps to complete a set.

Movement Group

Push

Required Equipment

None (bodyweight only)

Progressions and Regressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Cardio Push Ups?

Cardio Push Ups build upper-body strength (chest, triceps, shoulders) while engaging the core and raising heart rate for conditioning and endurance. They also improve muscular stamina and calorie burn using only bodyweight.

What common mistakes should I avoid?

Avoid sagging hips, flared elbows, and lifting the hips during mountain climbers. Don’t rush reps; keep full push-up range and steady climber tempo. Stop if you feel sharp shoulder pain and ensure scapular control to reduce injury risk.

How can I progress or modify this exercise?

To modify, perform incline or knee Cardio Push Ups and reduce climber time to 1–2 seconds. For progression, increase climber tempo, add reps, try plyo push-ups, or use a weighted vest once strict form and core control are consistent.