5 Best Weighted Push-ups and Their Benefits

Performing pushups with weights is a great way to bolster upper body muscles and develop strength and mass.

You can do weighted pushups with different types of equipment, including dumbbells, weight plates, resistance bands, vests, and backpacks. In this article, I’ll show you how to perform the following weighted pushup variations using different equipment.

1. T Push-up
2. Standard Pushup
3. Push-up to Row
4. Triangle Push-up
5. Decline Push Ups

These push-ups are challenging but will help you enhance your strength, increase muscle mass, and improve your balance.¹ Kikuchi, N., & Nakazato, K. (2017). Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 15(1), 37-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2017.06.003

They also help you perform better in upper body-weight training, especially where pushing strength is required.

Depending on your fitness level, you can include some or all in your workout program.

5 Best Weighted Push-up Variations to Build Strength & Mass

1. T Pushup

The dumbbell T pushup is an advanced exercise. It involves lifting one arm toward the ceiling by twisting the torso and hips while leaving one arm on the floor for support. This puts the body in a side plank position, creating a ‘T’ shape.

This multi-movement exercise strengthens several muscles simultaneously, including the chest, shoulders, arms, back, abs, and obliques.

It also improves mobility, coordination, and functional fitness.² How to Master the T Push-up for Stronger Shoulders and an Invincible Core By Lauren Mazzo (Onepeloton.com)

The T Push-up is an excellent exercise, but it requires decent strength and balance. So, I only recommend it to those exercising for a while and can do at least ten reps without weight. If you’re one of them, grab a pair of light dumbbells and do this push-up variation.

Steps to Perform a T Pushup:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, get into a high plank position.
2. Put the dumbbells slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and keep your arms straight.
3. Keep your feet a couple of inches wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Brace your core, hips, thigh, and glutes tight, and maintain a flat back. That’s your beginning position.
5. Perform one pushup, then raise your right arm and your body to the right.
6. Rotate your body until your arm is straight up toward the ceiling so your body forms a T shape.
7. Return to the start and repeat on the opposite side.

The Fitness Phantom Tips: Start this exercise without weight. Once you can perform 10 to 15 reps efficiently, then only use the dumbbells. Aim to perform two to three sets of 6-8 reps on each side.

2. Pushup to Renegade Row

The pushup-to-row is a compound dumbbell exercise. The push-up blasts your chest, shoulders, and triceps, while the renegade row nails your back (lats, traps) and biceps, strengthening the entire upper body in one go.

Staying in a plank position for both parts force your abs, obliques³ Saeterbakken A, Andersen V, Brudeseth A, Lund H, Fimland MS. The Effect of Performing Bi- and Unilateral Row Exercises on Core Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Nov;36(11):900-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398646. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26134664., and lower back to work overtime to keep you stable, especially when you row one arm and balance on the other.

Balancing on one hand while pulling the dumbbell with the opposite hand also improves coordination and control and promotes functional strength.

Steps to Perform a Push-up to Renegade Row:

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, get on all fours.
2. Kick your legs behind you to get into a high plank position with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Keep your arms straight below your shoulders.
3. Brace your abdominal muscles, glutes, and thigh, and maintain a straight line from head to heel. That’s the starting position.
4. Perform a pushup, then raise your right elbow at your side until the dumbbell reaches your rib level.
5. Pause for a couple of seconds, then lower it down.
6. Repeat on the left side to complete one rep.

The Fitness Phantom Tips: Increase the distance between your feet to make this movement easy. Use lightweight dumbbells to perform this exercise.

3. Standard Weighted Pushup

If you want to test your pushing strength, consider doing standard weighted pushups. They primarily reinforce pectoral muscles and help build a firm and aesthetic torso.

It also helps develop endurance, strength, and mobility and takes your fitness to the next level.

The weighted pushup can also improve your compound exercise performance like bench press, overhead press, dips, and clean and press.

Steps to Perform a Weighted Pushup:

You can do standard weight push-ups using weight plates, vests, or asking your friend to sit on your back. Just put some weight that can stay on your back (not a slippery object) and follow these steps:

1. Wear a weighted vest get into a high plank position with your arms directly underneath your shoulders and keep your feet hip to shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your body as straight as possible from head to heels.
3. Brace your abdominal muscles, gluteus, and hips. This is your starting position.
4. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the ground simultaneously.
5. Pause for a second and then press back to return to the start. That’s one rep.

The Fitness Phantom Tips: Lock your core like you’re bracing for a punch. It stops your hips from sagging and keeps the pressure on your chest, not your lower back. Don’t flare your elbows straight out, angle them back about halfway between your sides and shoulders. It’s easier on your joints and hits the right muscles.

4. Weighted Triangle Pushup

Triangle pushup is an excellent compound exercise that helps develop firm triceps and improve chest proportion by targeting the inner pecs.

It elicits the highest activation in all three heads of the triceps; long, medial, and short heads compared to other exercises such as kickback, bench dips, overhead triceps extension, and rope pushdown.⁴ACE Study Identifies Best Triceps Exercises – American Council of Research (ACE)

The triangle stance (shorter width) plus weight also forces your front delts to stabilize and push, building shoulder strength without needing presses.⁵ Kim YS, Kim DY, Ha MS. Effect of the push-up exercise at different palmar width on muscle activities. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016;28(2):446-449. doi:10.1589/jpts.28.446

The triangle push-ups may be challenging but they will help bolster and tone upper body muscles.

Steps to Perform:

1. Wear a weighted vest and get into a high plank position with your hands below your chest, forming a triangle shape. Keep your body in line from top to bottom.
2. Brace your core, hips, and butt. That’s the setup.
3. Do as many pushups as possible.

The Fitness Phantom Tips: Keep your elbows close to your sides as you lower; not flaring out. It protects your shoulders and hammers your triceps harder. Drop until your chest nearly grazes your hands, then push up strong. Half-reps cheat you out of gains; go slow and full.

5. Decline Pushup Using a Backpack

The decline push-up engages the upper pecs and helps build a fuller chest. The downward position also pushes your front delts to work hard as you press back to the start, making your shoulders strong and athletic.

Steps to Perform a Decline Push-up with a Backpack:

1. Put some stuff in your bag to make it a little heavy. It could be books, weight plates, or concrete blocks.
2. Place it on your back and keep the straps tight on your waist, as it will prevent the backpack from sliding down.
3. Place your feet on a higher object (8 to 12 inches), such as a bench, chair, or bed, and get into a decline straight arm plank position with your arms straight below your shoulders.
4. Brace your abdominal muscles and thighs. That’s your starting position.
5. Lower your chest toward the ground, hold for a second, then press back to the start. This is your one repetition.
6. Keep your spine as neutral as possible during the movement.
7. When the backpack slides toward your head, turn sideways immediately to make it slide off the side.

The Fitness Phantom Tips: Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes. No sagging hips or your lower back will hate you.

Weighted Push-ups Benefits

You can get three benefits if you do pushups with weights. 

1. Increase Strength

Pushups can provide the same strength as the bench press, a study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated. ⁶Bench Press and Push-up at Comparable Levels of Muscle Activity Results in Similar Strength Gains – The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

The different pushup variations work throughout the upper body muscles and increase your pushing strength.

The more weight you put on your back, the more strength you’ll develop.

2. Build Muscle Mass

The pushups bolster the pectorals, shoulders, triceps, arms, and core muscles and help increase muscle mass.

Research has shown that doing pushups using a weight vest can activate and engage similar muscles compared to bench presses.⁷ Comparison of Kinematics and Muscle Activation between Push-up and Bench Press – Sports Medicine International Open

 A similar finding recommended that performing pushup exercises with a similar load to 40% 1RM bench press is comparably effective for muscle hypertrophy and strength gain over an 8-week training period.⁸ Low-load bench presses and push-ups induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain – Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness

These are enough indications of how effective weighted pushups are for building strength and mass.

3. Improves Balance and Coordination

Doing pushups with a weight vest is also effective when it comes to improving overall balance and muscle coordination.

Pushups like T Pushup and renegade row require you to hold the weight in an unstable position. This helps improve mobility and coordination throughout the body.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

• 1
  Kikuchi, N., & Nakazato, K. (2017). Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 15(1), 37-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2017.06.003
• 2
  How to Master the T Push-up for Stronger Shoulders and an Invincible Core By Lauren Mazzo (Onepeloton.com)
• 3
  Saeterbakken A, Andersen V, Brudeseth A, Lund H, Fimland MS. The Effect of Performing Bi- and Unilateral Row Exercises on Core Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Nov;36(11):900-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398646. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26134664.
• 4
  ACE Study Identifies Best Triceps Exercises – American Council of Research (ACE)
• 5
  Kim YS, Kim DY, Ha MS. Effect of the push-up exercise at different palmar width on muscle activities. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016;28(2):446-449. doi:10.1589/jpts.28.446
• 6
  Bench Press and Push-up at Comparable Levels of Muscle Activity Results in Similar Strength Gains – The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
• 7
  Comparison of Kinematics and Muscle Activation between Push-up and Bench Press – Sports Medicine International Open
• 8
  Low-load bench presses and push-ups induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain – Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness