Push Ups

PUSH UPS are…

  • Full Body Workout
  • Free!
  • Done Anywhere, Anytime
  • Saves Time
  • Build Muscle
  • Reduces Fat
  • Maintain a Healthy Heart
  • Fantastic form of Cardio
  • Simple to Learn
  • Get Dramatic Results!

What do push ups do!? Nothing gets you in shape quicker than Push Ups. Pushups get you ripped.

Fact.

I’ve proven it too.

If you’re a bodyweight workout fan then you already know how effective pushups are for building muscle size and strength. Whether you’re looking for a new calisthenics workout or are a calisthenics beginner then it’s time to take a look at your daily diamond pushup routine.

The shorts don’t change, only the muscles! (and hair)

Calisthenics Workout for Beginners

So you’re on Muscle Forever which means I know one thing for sure, you know that push ups are incredibly powerful at building muscle mass all over your body and help in your body fat loss goals. If you’re looking to do a ‘body recomp’ (simultaneously lose fat and build muscle) which is possible for the newbies, then what are you waiting for! You should already have The Diamond Push Up Program downloaded on your phone and ready to go! 

The power of the pushup allows you to target every muscle in your body, whether actively or passively (stabiliser muscles). Not to mention, with the push up you can change the feel and emphasis of the exercise by modifying your hand positioning. By changing your hand positing things start to get very interesting! Where’s my Diamond pushup crew at!? Ready to take your push up game to the next level!? 

I used just Diamond Push Ups for chest, shoulders, triceps, back – every muscle. Through doing daily reps I got in awesome shape. We’re talking way better than any other bodybuilding routine I’d tried in the past, and oh man, did I need to lose that belly! Push ups, or more specifically Diamond Pushups are your strongest ally when it comes to building thick slabs of muscle in the fastest way possible.

Diamond Push Ups for Beginners

We all know Diamond Push Ups are hard! For good reason too. Pulling your hands in close brings a whole new level to the idea of ab engagement! With the added demand on balancing your core to hold a stable plank as you pull down to the floor you’ll be well on your way to brad pitt abs.

If you’re a beginner then make sure you can safely (and relatively easily) do 200 push ups a day before moving on to Diamond Push Ups. Once you’re doing push ups everyday it’s unlikely you’ll have to do Diamond Push Ups on your knees. Always be progressing! If you’re just getting started, check out these tips: 

  1. Pushups against a wall or raised bench, moving on to push ups on your knees and then when you can do at least 1 full regular push up rep you’re on your journey to sculpting a great athletic physique.
  2. From here start progressively bringing your hands in closer and closer until the diamond or triangle shape is formed. 
  3. If you can do regular push ups, but not a full on diamond pushup yet then during your workout slowly start bringing your hands in closer from workout to workout until the Diamond Push Up hand positioning in on point.

Diamond Push Ups Vs Regular Push Ups 

Whether you’re weight training and lifting weights or doing a calisthenics workout routine the same rules apply – resistance is resistance! Watch your elbow positioning!

Elbow flare really shouldn’t be the distinction between regular pushups vs diamond pushups! I cant stand it when I see the elbow’s stick out! What ever your flavour of push up, keep them tucked in AND you’ll have to if you go for the Diamond Push Up! For The Diamond Pushup, as you descend, keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible and pull down pausing and squeezing at the bottom of the rep.

Follow my technique to the tee and enjoy the gains! Wide push ups can potentially place more stress on the shoulders leading to injuries over time, another reason to do Diamond Push Ups over regular pushups.

What muscles are worked with Diamond Push Ups?

The Diamond Push Up works the tricep muscles, the chest muscles including pec major, and the anterior deltoids. The core and abs get blasted too, rectus abdominus, obliques, glutes and quadriceps all maintain the ‘plank position’ keeping your body in perfect alignment. Not to mention your back via your lats as you pull towards the floor during the lowering phase. 

Diamond Push Up Gains

How long before Diamond Push Ups work!? Well, personally I transformed in just 8 weeks. The muscle activation is CRAZY > “to induce greater muscle activation, push-ups should be performed with hands in a narrow base position compared with a wide base position” (pubmed). If your Diamond Push Up form is correct (this is essential!) you’ll carve out an overall lean muscular body obtaining that ‘classic V shape’ along with:

  • Iron Pecs
  • Crazy Triceps Strength
  • Solid Overall Chest Development
  • Build Upper Chest Mass
  • Sculpt *THAT* Chest Line (Deep Centre Line)
  • Solid Deltoid Size and Strength
  • Rock Hard Core Activation
  • Strong Lats
  • Thick Abdominals (Six Pack).

Ready to join me?

Want to feel muscular and lean with a six pack?

Need to transform fast in a hassle free way!?

It IS possible with just Diamond Push Ups. My program is the ultimate bodyweight workout plan. It’s a home workout routine that doesn’t require any equipment. Seriously, you just need a FLOOR and my program (duh!) and then of course an Instagram account to show off said results. (LIKE!)

Why I love Diamond Push Ups

I had a 37 inch waist (yeah, you read that right), things weren’t looking good but within 8 weeks I’d got ripped up real fast with just a simple and quick daily workout AND I still ate filling and satisfying foods. Check out my bodyweight workout before and after comparison picture below.

My program could quite easily be classed as a belly fat loss diet because, as you can see – belly was indeed lost and burnt away. Lots of it! My workout routine is based on a foundation of high volume pushups, get those reps in along with a solid nutrition plan and you’ll be well on your way to feeling awesome on the beach. If it’s been a while, get the factor 50 ready!

Push Ups Workout – Before and After

I had a holiday booked, Vitamin D was needed! Despite looking forward to it, I was very much out of shape and as a result my waist had crept up to the aforementioned 37 inches which was so damn frustrating. Mainly because I was training hard everyday (had been for many years) and was ‘eating correctly’.

As you can see I looked like I hated the gym. I was no way near ‘beach ready’ to say the least. Looking back I clearly had a problem with golden syrup oat sachets. I used to get up in the middle of the night and eat them, sometimes dry, up to 10 sachets a night! Intermittent Fasting saved me for sure.

BEFORE discovering the power of push ups!

We have such unrealistic and high expectations of what is actually attainable (thanks Instagram!) that we end up overeating and over working out. This continues until we finally run out of will power. The result? At best you become a slightly stronger, chubbier version of yourself. I know I did. Most realistically – tired, fat, injured and ready to quit and jack it all in. Pass me the donut(s).

It wasn’t until I stripped my training right back to the basics, to the foundations and went minimalist by focusing on just push ups with my perfect form technique that I finally got the results I’d been trying to achieve for years.

As my fitness obsession grew I decided to write The Diamond Push Up Program. The workout routine is simple and effective and the diet enjoyable, bottom line – it just WORKS. I needed something that confirmed I wasn’t wasting my time and that it was possible to rock that hollywood physique without a personal trainer, chef, nutritionist and all round team to save me! So, I put it all together in a PDF.

‘Simplicity is the key to brilliance’ – Bruce Lee

Diamond Push Ups

Getting ripped doesn’t have to be difficult or feel like a never ending mission. When you break it down, it’s simple and trust me on this – you will feel so good when you’re lean and muscular rocking a six pack on the beach and feeling free.

The Diamond Push Up or ‘close grip’ push up is a killer exercise to forge IRON PECS.

The ‘Classic Push Up’ is still an incredible exercise (it’s in the program too) but when you bring your hands in closer…MAGICAL THINGS HAPPEN!

Push Ups Everyday

I still eat my favourite foods and continue to drop body fat.

Why daily Diamond Push Ups you say!? What’s the benefits of Diamond Push Ups? Oh, just about everything! Diamond Pushups hit the chest hard. Actually, not just the pecs, they hit the whole body working all your muscles. That includes Chest, shoulders, triceps along with stabilisers such as the core and legs and the back! Pushups for the back!? Yes, pulling muscles too! Push ups, the way I do them (perfect form push ups) work the lats nicely, trust me – start ‘pulling to the ground’ and you’ll feel it the next day.

The push up is a full body workout, every muscle is activated, this massive advantage means all you have to do is master ONE MOVEMENT and progress with it. It’s a push pull exercise in one. I freakin’ love my push ups! Knowing that it’s an ‘all in one move’ makes it simple, straightforward and time efficient. Plus they’re free, can be done anywhere at anytime and most importantly if done correctly – work like crazy! 

100 Diamond Push Ups a day – great. 200 Diamond Push Ups a day? Fantastic. 8 sets of 25 reps with perfect form and ‘THAT CHEST LINE’ will appear. This should be the real push up challenge. Hit these targets and you’ll have fast results, think Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling physiques. Which brings me to my next question. Do you have a deep V-Neck T-Shirt ready to go bro!? V-Necks are exclusively limited to a) boyband members and b) those who do Diamond Push Ups only.

The Diamond Push Up Program
The Diamond Push Up Program

Diamond Push Ups for Inner Chest

Let’s focus on the upper chest, know as the clavicular pectoralis. It can be hit hard with feet elevated diamond push ups. This will effectively put the chest at an incline working the upper chest which is critical in gaining that lean muscular chiselled physique. Of course when you elevate your feet you make the diamond push up harder, another way of constantly gaining muscle and strength using the progressive resistance system which The Diamond Push Up Program is all about. 

I have more on push ups for inner chest!

How To Do Diamond Push Ups Correctly

Perfect push ups are the only way to go. If your form isn’t correct then your push up workout won’t be as effective as it could be and you’ll be leaving gains on the table. In my program I go into more detail about nailing the perfect form push up and milking the move for all it’s gains but for now – let me save you from the time AND dangers of crappy form! (too kind!) Get it right and get them gains!

How To Do Diamond Push Ups Correctly

Take at least 2 seconds on the eccentric and concentric, squeezing and feeling the muscles work, don’t just drop and bounce. The mind muscle connection is actually a thing and in this rare instance not just mumbo jumbo fitness talk. Try a standard rep, then try a slower, controlled rep feeling the muscle work. Major difference. The better the form the better the gains. As you progress on the program your form will get better and better and THIS IN ITSELF is even a form of progressive resistance. WIN WIN.

  1. Assume the ‘flat position’ as you lie down on the floor.
  2. Position your hands so the index fingers and thumbs make a ‘diamond shape’ but ONLY if it doesn’t cause your elbows to overly flare out.
  3. Tuck your elbows in close to your side and lock them in position. AT ALL TIMES.
  4. Lift your core up into a standard push up position.
  5. Keep the ‘flat position’ locked in.
  6. Push Up > Protract Shoulders > Pull Down (to the floor) > Retract Shoulders > Pause. REPEAT.
  7. Reach ‘The Goal’ and share results on Instagram, see all over this post!

Master the form when it comes to your shoulder blade positioning (this is critical!) and what the hell they should be doing! Check out the excerpt from The Diamond Push Up Program:

“SHOULDER BLADES. You’re almost ready to Push Up, but DO NOT forget to protract your shoulders at the top of the Push Up. So, as you lower yourself your shoulders should retract as your chest moves to the floor, but as you Push Up and away from the floor (when you reach full extension) you’ll want to protract the shoulder blades. This will enhance the range of motion (ROM) and increase scapular strength. It’s key to help keep your shoulders healthy over time and is one of the reasons Push Ups are so powerful over traditional bench pressing where your shoulder blades are ‘stuck’ in constant retraction“.

Diamond Push Ups Elbow Pain

There’s good reason The Diamond Push Up Program has you complete ‘The Classic 200’ (wider moving to close grip push up) before attempting Diamond Pushups. That’s because the narrow hand position to form the ‘triangle’ or diamond places more load on your elbows. If you experience pain then take a rest day or two and reduce your push up volume on your next workout.

Follow the program, start slowly and gradually build your workload (increase sets, reps (volume) and decrease rest) over time, consistently and in a way that suits your body and training history. You’ll then be able to come back fresher and ready to build more muscle and lose more fat.

Diamond Push Ups Benefits

  • Full Body Workout (Hits every muscle from the chest to the lats)
  • The Diamond Push Up utilises up to 75% of your Bodyweight (plenty of ‘weight’ stimulus)
  • Builds Mass and Burns Body Fat
  • Endless Progression (Wide > Close > Diamond > Feet elevated > Weighted)
  • The Diamond Pushup is Free!
  • Time Efficient (One Movement and the freedom to do it around your schedule)
  • Portable (Travelling? Work long hours? No time for the Gym? No problem!)
  • *May Save Your Life* Those that could do 40 or more push-ups had a 96 percent less risk of heart problems in the next 10 years than those who quit at 10 or fewer (Jama Network)

Push Ups Muscles

The inspiration for The Diamond Push Up Program came from a bunch of sources I explore in the program including many celebs who have used just the push up to get in killer shape, not to mention the forces (Army, Navy Seals) and of course multiple prisoners. Here’s some of thosewho all have embraced the minimalist approach too.

  • Bill Starr (For his work on Progressive Resistance (PR))
  • Charles Bronson (Prison Workout)
  • Charles Atlas (Original Push Up Pioneer)
  • John E. Peterson (Author of ‘Pushing Yourself To Power’)
  • Jamie Dornan (100 daily)
  • Jamie Foxx (100 daily)
  • Matthew Mcconaughey (200 daily)
  • Chris Pratt (500 daily for Zero Dark Thirty)
  • Jake Gyllenhaal (500 – 2,000 daily for Southpaw)
  • Herschel Walker (1,000 daily)
  • Charlie Hunnam (1,000 daily for King Arthur)
  • Tom Hardy (2,000 daily for Bronson)

Work up to doing 20 sets of 10 reps (with perfect form) for overall body development (I call it ‘The Classic 200’) and then move on up to ‘The Goal’ of 25 reps for 8 sets for the look I’m currently rocking. I devised a simple, no nonsence workout and combined it with a straight forward diet. I didn’t even calorie count (although I have some calorie formulas in the program to get you going). Sure, I’m no Arnold Schwarzenegger or instagram fitness model but I feel the best I’ve ever felt and it’s pretty much effortless. No stress. I did give up cheesy grins though…

The Diamond Push Up Program

The Diamond Push Up Program
The Diamond Push Up Program

In THE DIAMOND PUSH UP PROGRAM you’ll get:

These are the tools that first transformed me and still form my ‘go to’ program.

Bonus #1 – Free Updates

Get the PDF eBook now and you’ll gain free updates. Whenever new content is added you’ll get a fresh download.

Bonus #2 – Email Support

When you download the PDF eBook you’ll get access to my personal email for any questions, help and support.

Push Ups Q&A’S

If you’ve got any questions and/or comments post below!

52 Replies to “Push Ups”

  1. Great program i am going to start today.Any fan of bodyweight need to get this program here you will learn how to get results from 200 push ups insted of doing more than that i seen articles about doing 1,000 push ups a day.Just add some videos and this program will be perfect.

    1. Nice one, Pierre! Keep me posted with how you get on! Any questions just let me know!

  2. Hi Will,
    Thanks for the video.
    1.You only do push ups ? No chins and dips?
    2.In the video you are not doing a diamond push up?

    1. Hi Pierre, no worries – more soon!

      1. Yes, I only do 200 push ups, daily. Currently no chins or dips or weights (unless on holiday) but may look into this in the future!

      2. Towards the very end of the video I’m doing diamond but the video was more to show the body positioning, rep speed and pulling down technique. Would it help if I did an exclusively diamond video?

      Thanks!

        1. Hi Roberto

          The beauty of push ups are that they work the whole body – head to toe. Your core will get an incredible workout as the push up already includes ‘the plank’ (the best ab exercise) and your legs will be worked as they act as stabilisers whilst performing the push up. I like to keep things as minimal and simplistic as possible!

          1. Great minds like to keep things simple and in focus. You are confirming what Johnny Grube, The Wildman, Ted Skup, Death, Taxes, and Pushups, and others have said about the pushups being a total body workout. Your pictures show the results of your program very well, No more planks, as the pushup is a moving plank, and also no more situps/crunches, or squats for me, just walking and pushups. Great website!

          2. Great minds think alike! Push ups everyday and some walking (steady state cardio) I’ve found incredibility effective to build muscle and lose fat.

  3. Hi Will, your program looks good, I’m thinking of getting it, I was wondering does your program include any cardio exercises like walking or running? I’m 60 and all I do is body weight exercises and I love it, Your website is great also, keep up the great work! I love minimalist workouts also!

    1. Thanks for your message Dean!

      For my transformation all I did was walking – about 40 mins per day at least 5 days a week. Essentially it was ‘steady state cardio’ – but I didn’t do it at the gym, I just made sure I walked as much as possible rather than take the bus/train/tube etc. I didn’t do any running.

      Love that you’re into minimalist workouts too, makes everything so much clearer and enjoyable I find. Just keep perfecting the one move (push up) for more and more gains!

      Feel free to keep the questions and suggestions coming, if there is anything you want to see/read/hear more about just let me know!

  4. Hi Will,
    I try doing the diamonds on my palms but i din’t like the feeling so i go as close as possible with my hands but i do them on my knuckles,what you think of this way insted of the regular diamond form?
    Also what you think of hands and feet elevated Charles Atlas push ups?

    1. Hi Pierre

      So you’re doing ‘close grip knuckle push ups’? That will give you a bit of elevation and thus slightly deeper stretch at the bottom of the rep. How do your hands feel? Have you tried Push Up Bars? Check out what I say about Push Up Bars in the Program.

      Feet elevated push ups are great way of progressing, but I didn’t do any for my first transformation and currently don’t.

      Thanks

  5. My hand feel fine.I read what you say about push ups bars.Will ,the best version of push up for muscle bulding is going to be close grip push ups insted of another type of push up?

    1. That’s what I’ve found works for me. More muscle activation when you bring your hands in (studies are in the program too) AND by having your elbows closer to your body you reduce the risk of elbow pain.

  6. So 8 sets of 25 done daily is all you need to do, along with walking? This sounds really good, something than be done long range. There is no need to go beyond 25 reps per set then?

    1. I did 200 daily and 40 mins walking in total (along with the nutrition protocol in the program) and got my best gains!

      1. It’s obvious that you have obtained great results with your complete program of pushups, walking, and intermittent fasting. What’s good about your program is that you show the results you have obtained. Ted Skup, outlined in his book progressions to reach 1000 pushups a day, but only showed one picture of himself in the pushup position. Thanks for your reply, you have inspired me to get down on the floor and start pushing.

        1. Awesome stuff, Roberto! 1000 does sound a little time consuming! I always aim to keep things as straight forward as possible employing the ‘minimum effective dose’ – less is more! Glad you like the site!

  7. Will it could be cool if you can make a video full doamond position.Thanks,brother.

    1. Shall record a video (full diamond position) and get it uploaded! Thanks, Pierre!

  8. Hi Will,
    I saw your comment on dips and you right on the money .Now i feel since the dips will be done with bodyweight the dips should be done on a ring insted of a bar more challenging and you get a better bang for your buck plus is safer on the shoulders.Also why stop there ? Diamond push ups,ring dips close grip chin ups on a bar and you have the 3 best exercises for the upper body and you know that.Now the question what type of routine? I feel since ring dips and close grip chin ups used a 100% of the bodyweight 100 reps a day is more than enough and close grip push ups since you used 65% of your bodyweight ,you said 75 % but i think that happens when you used the feet and hand elevetaded?200 reps is max number.My plan in to do these 3 exercises but how? Maybe a triple set ? Maybe you could give ideas? And since you are adding dips add the close grip chin ups and get the best bang for you buck.
    Also you mention that you do diamond push ups and wide close grip push ups i feel should do a detail video of both exercises ,remenber attention to detail is important since perferct form of these exercises is the key of gains.Thank you for ignite my fire to perform these 3 exercises .I like your original cites about these 3 exercises.Also an idea,you should create a forum for people to shared and motivate each other on these 3 exercises.Insted of just buying your program and do nothing with it.Congrats,you listen to comments and you improved your content all the time.Love you,bro.

    1. Sounds good! How would I create a forum? A website forum or Facebook group, what do you think would work best?

      Currently writing the dips article so keep refreshing!

  9. I cast my vote for a website forum. Check out Runboard, It appears pretty easy to set one up there. Whatever way you choose to go, all the best, as you are one of the few real deal guys on the web promoting fitness.

    1. Cheers Roberto! Ok cool, I’ll look into setting up some kind of forum! Keep your eyes peeled!

  10. Yes,bro .100 dips and 100 chins a day as good as it gets.Go for it.

  11. You got in shape in 8 weeks i feel is good time frame.Roberto made a great post.I can see that you are natural no drugs .In the fitness world is all bullshit with people taking anabolics and claiming to be natty ,You are the few people i can say is natty we need more people that are real natty and people can shoot for real attainable goal,Fight Club is a good example.Will ,keep up because your are unique in fitness sea of lies and drugs.

    1. Totally agree!

      We see so many people in the fitness industry that do ‘gym workouts’ and eat junk and are huge and ripped and it’s all steroids. That’s why I focus on simple, effective workouts to build muscle, lose fat and look awesome in a real attainable way! The Fight Club look is perfect!

  12. Hey man, I would like to ask you about the Fight Club program. Mainly if it can be done at home only like your Diamond Push Ups program?

    1. Hey Martin!

      In the PDF eBook it includes three different workouts:

      1) A 6 day split (gym based)

      2) A 2 day split (can be done at home with dumbbells)

      3) ‘The Fight Club Bodyweight Version’

      (You’ll need a pull up bar and 2 chairs for the Atlas push ups! It also includes some optional resistance band moves)

    1. Hi Roberto!

      Still looking into it, I think it will be very difficult to set up from my research.

      I think a Facebook group for those on the programs could be helpful? Thoughts?

          1. Great, Will! When the forum is set up, I am sure you will gain a lot of followers. Some folks don’t want to join Facebook or Twitter, etc. for various reasons.

  13. Hi Will,

    What is your rest time between sets of pushups? Are they spread throughout the day? Thanks!

    1. Hey Luke

      For my first transformation I just made sure to hit 200 reps each day, either spread out throughout the day or in my ‘workout window’.

      For best results and in order to keep progressing I recommend tracking your rest time and decreasing the rest as you progress over time.

      What’s your current workout, Luke?

  14. Thanks for the quick reply!

    I just started a routine where I alternate two workouts. One day, I do pull ups and diamond pushups, and the the next day I do chin ups and dips. I superset the exercises and do 8 sets of each exercise. I rest 30 seconds to a minute between sets. My goal is to build up my volume over time—I’m hoping to reach 200 diamond pushups and 80-100 pull-ups in one workout and 100 dips and 80-100 chins in the other workout. I have a ways to go before I hit these numbers.

    I didn’t know if it would be better to do a certain number of reps spread throughout the day or keep the rest periods consistent—as I’m doing now—and build up the volume over time.

    1. I would spread the reps out throughout the day and over time aim to get all the reps in during a workout window. For example 100 push ups and 50 pull ups/chin ups in the morning and 100 push ups and 50 pull ups/chin ups in the evening (or if you’re at home all day then just as and when).

      When your body is used to the total volume of 200 push ups and 100 pull ups/chin ups you can then start reducing the time it takes to do all the reps with the goal of getting it all done within one workout of say an hour.

      Let me know how you get on mate!

  15. Hi from Germany,

    you have a niced developed biceps too.
    How did you develop this? Also just through the Diamond push ups?

  16. Hi Will,

    you have a nice developed biceps too. Did you archive this with diamond pushups too?

    1. Thanks Michael!

      Hello Germany!

      Don’t underestimate the power of the push up to work the biceps! Focus on pulling down to the ground when you lower yourself. My biceps have been built from push ups, I occasionally do bicep curls with a resistance band too.

      What’s your current workout? Are you on the program?

      1. Currently I am doing a daily Bodyweight program by an author who is very popular in Germany.

        Additionally I started now doing 200 classic pushups a day (20 sets a 10 reps). Goal for the next weeks is to improve to 8 sets a 25 reps. And then I will switch to the diamond pushups.

        Sorry for double posting, but I did not see my first post.

        Nice website here with lots of useful information!

  17. I know it may be stupid, but I did a “small” challenge for myself. 2020 DIAMOND push ups. Man, it was a hard task, but I finished it. All in 2hours n 22 minutes. I also did 2020 classic push ups, but this was waayy easier than DIAMOND. Now I gotta switch to weighted push ups and one handed push ups.

  18. Hi Will

    What’s your opinion on decline push-ups?

    Also, thank you for writing this blog. I reread it almost daily for inspiration. 🙂

    1. Thanks, that’s awesome! What other content would you like? All push ups are great! Decline push ups with feet elevated add extra resistance and target the upper chest.

Comments are closed.