Skip to main content
Back
Pike To Cobra Push Up
Add to Workout

Pike To Cobra Push Up

Build

How to Perform

  1. Begin in a downward-facing dog position with your hands shoulder-width apart, hips raised high, and feet hip-width apart on the floor.
  2. Engage your core muscles and maintain a straight line from your hands to your hips as you shift your weight forward until your shoulders are directly over your wrists.
  3. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides, while maintaining a pike position with hips elevated.
  4. Exhale as you reach the bottom of your pike push-up, ensuring your head moves between your hands, not in front of them.
  5. From the bottom position, inhale and begin to straighten your arms while simultaneously lowering your hips toward the floor.
  6. Continue this fluid motion until your hips touch the ground and your chest is up, creating a cobra-like position with a slight arch in your back.
  7. Engage your upper back muscles to maintain the cobra position briefly, keeping your shoulders pulled back and down away from your ears.
  8. Exhale as you reverse the movement by pushing through your palms, lifting your hips back up to pike position to complete one rep.

Important information

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement to protect your lower back and maintain proper form.
  • Ensure your hands remain firmly planted in the same position throughout the exercise, with fingers spread for better stability.
  • If you feel strain in your lower back during the cobra portion, reduce the arch by engaging your abdominals more strongly.
  • Beginners can modify by performing the pike and cobra portions separately before combining them into one fluid movement.

Exercise Details

Primary Muscles

Pecs Triceps Front Delts

Muscle Groups

Chest exercises Arm exercises Shoulder exercises

Mechanic

Compound

Risk Areas

Pecs Triceps Front Delts

Built for progress

Take the guesswork out of training

Create personalized AI-powered workout plans that evolve with you. Train smarter, track every rep and keep moving forward, one workout at a time.

Be among the first to join!
GrabGains workout plans

The Pike to Cobra Push-Up combines two dynamic movements into one fluid exercise that challenges your upper body strength while enhancing mobility through your shoulders and spine. This intermediate-level movement seamlessly transitions between a downward dog-like position and a cobra pose, creating a comprehensive exercise that targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Your pecs, triceps, and front deltoids work overtime during this exercise, making it an excellent addition to any strength-focused routine. The pike position intensifies the load on your shoulders, while the transition to cobra engages your chest muscles in a unique way that traditional push-ups simply can't match.

What makes the Pike to Cobra Push-Up particularly valuable is its versatility across training modalities. Whether you're incorporating it into a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) circuit for cardiovascular benefits, using it as part of a bodybuilding regimen to sculpt your upper body, or including it as a dynamic warm-up before a more intense workout, this exercise delivers results. Many athletes appreciate how it serves double duty by building strength while simultaneously improving mobility.

The flowing nature of this movement creates a natural stretch-and-strengthen pattern that promotes shoulder health and spinal mobility. As you transition between the pike and cobra positions, you're effectively moving through a full range of motion that challenges your muscles while improving functional flexibility. This makes it particularly beneficial for those looking to enhance overall movement quality alongside raw strength gains.

For maximum effectiveness, focus on quality over quantity and maintain proper form throughout the movement. As you become more proficient, you'll notice improvements not only in your push-up strength but also in your overall upper body mobility and postural control. This exercise truly exemplifies how compound movements can efficiently target multiple fitness goals in one comprehensive package.

FAQ - Pike To Cobra Push Up

What muscles does the Pike to Cobra Push-Up target?

This compound exercise primarily targets your pectorals, triceps, and front deltoids while the pike position intensifies shoulder engagement. The flowing transition also activates your core, serratus anterior, and spinal erectors for stability and mobility benefits.

How can I modify the Pike to Cobra Push-Up if I'm a beginner?

Beginners can perform the movement with knees on the ground during the push-up phase or reduce the pike angle to decrease shoulder loading. As you build strength, gradually increase the pike angle and transition to a full push-up position with extended legs.

What are the most common form mistakes to avoid?

The most common mistakes include rounding your lower back, rotating your hips instead of keeping them square, rushing through the movement, and not hinging properly at the hips. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine, moving with control, and keeping your standing knee slightly soft rather than locked.

How often should I include Pike to Cobra Push-Ups in my workout routine?

Incorporate this exercise 2-3 times weekly with at least 24 hours between sessions to allow for proper recovery. Start with 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions, focusing on quality movement rather than high repetition counts.

Can Pike to Cobra Push-Ups help improve my shoulder mobility?

Yes, the dynamic transition between pike and cobra positions effectively improves shoulder mobility by moving through a full range of motion. This natural stretch-strengthen pattern promotes shoulder health while simultaneously building upper body strength, making it excellent for addressing mobility restrictions.

Workouts with Pike To Cobra Push Up

Alternative Exercises

Pike Push Up

Pike Push Up

The Pike Push Up stands as a formidable intermediate exercise that targets the front deltoids and triceps while engaging your core and upper body stability. This bodyweight movement bridges the gap between standard push ups and more advanced overhead pressing movements, making it an excellent progression for those looking to build shoulder strength without equipment. When incorporated into HIIT routines, Pike Push Ups elevate your heart rate while simultaneously building upper body power. The unique angle of this exercise places greater emphasis on the shoulders compared to traditional push ups, creating an effective stimulus for muscle development that translates well to both functional fitness and bodybuilding protocols. For strength enthusiasts, the Pike Push Up offers a challenging variation that can help break through plateaus in overhead pressing movements. The exercise develops the stabilizing muscles around the shoulder joint while improving proprioception and body awareness – essential components for injury prevention and overall shoulder health. Many fitness professionals appreciate the Pike Push Up for its versatility and scalability across different fitness levels. While classified as intermediate, modifications can make it accessible to beginners or more challenging for advanced athletes. This adaptability makes it a staple in programs focused on progressive overload and continued strength development. The beauty of this movement lies in its minimal space and equipment requirements coupled with its maximum effectiveness. As you become more proficient, the Pike Push Up can serve as a stepping stone toward handstand push ups and other advanced calisthenics movements. The exercise effectively mimics the biomechanics of overhead pressing while adding an element of core stability that traditional weight training sometimes lacks. For anyone looking to enhance shoulder definition, build functional upper body strength, or add variety to their push training, the Pike Push Up delivers impressive results with proper execution and programming.

Strength
HIIT
Bodybuilding
Bodyweight exercises
Stability Ball Pike Push-Up

Stability Ball Pike Push-Up

The Stability Ball Pike Push-Up stands as a formidable challenge in the realm of advanced bodyweight training, elevating the traditional push-up to an entirely new dimension of difficulty. This movement seamlessly blends shoulder strength development with core stabilization, making it a powerful addition to any serious fitness enthusiast's repertoire. This exercise primarily targets the front deltoids, the anterior portion of your shoulders responsible for that coveted capped look, while simultaneously engaging the triceps as crucial secondary movers. What truly sets this exercise apart, however, is the extraordinary core engagement required to maintain proper positioning throughout the movement. Perfect for integration into high-intensity interval training sessions or CrossFit WODs, the Stability Ball Pike Push-Up delivers maximum stimulus with minimal equipment. The instability factor introduces an element that traditional gym machines simply cannot replicate, forcing your body to recruit stabilizing muscles throughout your entire kinetic chain. Bodybuilders also appreciate this movement for its ability to isolate and sculpt the shoulders while maintaining functional strength patterns. The compound nature of this exercise makes it particularly effective for developing practical, real-world strength. As you progress with this movement, you'll notice improvements in overhead pressing power, core stability, and overall body control. The intense demand placed on your core musculature creates a synergistic effect, enhancing total-body strength beyond what isolated movements can achieve. For those seeking to break through plateaus in their fitness journey, the Stability Ball Pike Push-Up represents an excellent progression tool. The instability of the ball coupled with the inverted body position creates a unique challenge that forces muscular adaptation. This exercise embodies the principle that true strength isn't just about moving weight: it's about controlling your body through space with precision and power.

Strength
Core
HIIT
Crossfit
+1
Stability ball
Bodyweight Full Squat With Overhead Press

Bodyweight Full Squat With Overhead Press

The Bodyweight Full Squat With Overhead Press combines lower body power with upper body pushing strength in one fluid movement, creating an efficient full-body exercise that elevates your heart rate while building functional strength. This intermediate-level compound movement simultaneously targets your quadriceps, glutes, and front deltoids, making it perfect for those looking to maximize their workout efficiency. This versatile exercise fits seamlessly into various training methodologies including HIIT circuits, bodybuilding routines, and CrossFit workouts. The dynamic nature of combining a squat with an overhead press creates a cardiovascular demand that burns calories while developing both strength and muscular endurance throughout your entire body. What makes this movement particularly valuable is how it mimics everyday functional patterns: the kind of integrated movement you might use when lifting objects from the ground and placing them on a high shelf. By training these movement patterns together, you're enhancing your body's natural coordination systems while developing practical strength that translates to daily activities. The full squat component engages your entire lower body kinetic chain, activating the quadriceps as primary movers while recruiting the glutes, hamstrings, and core stabilizers. Meanwhile, the overhead press portion develops shoulder strength and stability, particularly in the anterior deltoids, while engaging your triceps and upper back muscles as synergists. For those focused on metabolic conditioning, this exercise delivers impressive results by recruiting large muscle groups simultaneously, significantly elevating oxygen consumption and caloric expenditure. The compound nature makes it particularly effective for those with limited workout time who need maximum benefits from minimal exercises. Regular incorporation of the Bodyweight Full Squat With Overhead Press can lead to improved posture, enhanced core strength, better overhead mobility, and increased lower body power—all critical components for athletic performance and daily function. Whether you're focused on building strength, enhancing endurance, or improving overall fitness, this exercise delivers comprehensive benefits in a single, efficient movement.

Strength
Endurance
HIIT
Bodybuilding
+1
Bodyweight exercises
High Pulley Overhead Tricep Extension

High Pulley Overhead Tricep Extension

The High Pulley Overhead Tricep Extension stands as a quintessential isolation movement for anyone serious about developing their triceps. This intermediate-level exercise has earned its place in countless bodybuilding and strength training programs due to its effectiveness at targeting the triceps brachii with remarkable precision. When you're looking to add definition and power to the back of your arms, this movement delivers consistent results by emphasizing the long head of the triceps—the largest portion of the muscle that significantly contributes to that coveted horseshoe appearance. The beauty of using the cable pulley system lies in the constant tension it provides throughout the entire range of motion, something free weights simply cannot replicate with the same efficiency. For intermediate lifters who have mastered basic tricep movements, the High Pulley Overhead Extension offers the perfect progression to continue challenging these muscles. The exercise excels at isolating the triceps while minimizing involvement from supporting muscle groups, making it particularly valuable for bodybuilders seeking targeted hypertrophy in their arm development strategy. Strength athletes benefit from this movement as well, as stronger triceps translate to improved performance in pressing movements like the bench press and overhead press. The overhead position specifically trains the triceps in a stretched state, which research suggests may optimize muscle growth and development of functional strength through a complete range of motion. While primarily known as a bodybuilding staple, this exercise bridges the gap between aesthetic-focused training and practical strength development. The controlled nature of the movement allows for focused mind-muscle connection—a critical component for maximizing growth stimulus in any resistance training program. Whether incorporated into an arm-specific training day or as a finishing movement in a push workout, the High Pulley Overhead Tricep Extension delivers exceptional value for intermediate lifters committed to building impressive, powerful arms.

Strength
Bodybuilding
Cable