Top 6+ Alternative Exercises to Try If You Hate Pushups

Pushups are a classic bodyweight exercise that you can do at home and are an excellent way to strengthen your chest, shoulders and core. Plus, they can really get your heart beating and your blood pumping.

“Pushups are a great exercise. They’re convenient and you can do them anywhere, so I heavily recommend people do pushups, but with the proper form,” Dr. Ian Smith, physician and author of “Eat Your Age,” tells TODAY.com.

Although they look simple, pushups are surprisingly hard to do right. “A significant number of people do not use the correct form,” says Smith.

Technique is key, and a decent amount of core and arm strength is required to do pushups properly. Mistakes, such as the wrong hand placement, sagging hips and flaring the elbows, can not only make a pushup less effective but also strain or injure the body.

"The danger of bad pushup form is back injuries, shoulder injuries and even injury to your pectoralis (chest) muscles," says Smith. Letting your hips sag or drop during pushups is also sign that you aren’t engaging the core properly, which can put stress on the back.

If you can't get your form right no matter how hard you try, pushups may not be the right exercise for you. Pushups may also not be recommended for people with certain underlying issues.

"If you have a lingering shoulder injury, or any kind of pectoralis muscle or abdominal muscle injury, you absolutely should not do push ups," says Smith. People with joint pain or arthritis in their wrists or elbows may also need to avoid or modify pushups.

Whatever your reason for not doing pushups, there are other ways to work the same muscles, says Smith.

Which Muscles Do Pushups Work?

Pushups engage a variety of muscles, including:

• Chest muscles: pectoralis major and minor
• Shoulder muscles: deltoids, serratus interior
• Triceps
• Abdominal and core muscles

Pushups primarily work the pectoral muscles and secondarily activate the shoulders, triceps and core muscles, says Smith. They can also engage much of the back and even the glutes.

6 Exercises to Try if Instead of Pushups

If you can't or don't want to do pushups, you may be wondering which other moves can strengthen the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Fortunately, there are modifications and alternative "push exercises," which mimic the movement or work the same muscles as a pushup, says Smith. In addition to strengthening the upper body, these exercises may help improve posture and stability.

If you're a beginner, you can try these moves to build strength and practice your form so that you can do pushups correctly in the future.

Here's how to get started:

Wall Pushups

Wall pushup

One easy modification is doing a pushup against a wall, says Smith. Wall pushups allow you to perform the same movement but without as much bodyweight or gravity.

Start by standing back and putting your palms flat on the wall slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your legs straight and hips square, bend your elbows and slowly lower your body to the wall, then push back until your arms are straight.

Incline or Bench Pushups

Another type of modified pushup that works the same muscles with less weight is an incline or bench pushup.

"Instead of going to the ground, you just lean down on the bench just push yourself up, it's very difficult to have bad form with that one," says Smith.

Start by placing your palms shoulder-width on a bench in front of you — make sure it's weighted so it won't move. Make sure your spine is aligned and pull your core in. Then, lower your body until your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle and push upwards back to your starting position.

Floor Dumbbell Chest Press

Supine chest press. (start TODAY)

Dumbbell chest presses are an effective way to pump the pectoral and tricep muscles.

Lying on your back, grab two dumbbells of your desired weight grip them with your palms facing away from you in each hand. Bring the dumbbells to your chest, so your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle, then press or push the dumbbells up, extending your arms and engaging your chest muscles. Hold this pose for a few moments (avoid locking your elbows), then bring your arms slowly back to the starting position, and repeat.

Standing Cable Chest Fly

Cable chest fly (Step It Up with Steph)

Another great chest-strengthening workout involves the use of cables, which provide added resistance and consistent tension. Standing cable chest flys work the pecs, deltoids and triceps while engaging the core.

Start by standing with your feet in a staggered stance in front of the machines and hold the cables with an overhand grip around shoulder height. Bring both arms across your chest until they meet in front of you, contracting your pectoral muscles, and slowly release back to the starting position.

If you don't have access to a cable machine, you can also do similar chest fly movements using a resistance band, says Smith.

High Plank Shoulder Taps

High plank shoulder tap

If all you have is a mat, plank shoulder taps are another effective way to work the chest, shoulders, arms and core.

Start in a high plank position with your palms on the mat, arms straight and shoulders over your wrists. Keeping your core pulled in and body straight, reach up with your left hand and tap your right shoulder while shifting your weight onto your right arm. Place your left hand back down and repeat with the right hand.

Tricep Chair Dips

Tyler Essary / TODAY

Tricep dips are a great exercise that targets the arms and upper body.

Start with a weighted bench or chair and sit on the edge with your hands on either side of your body and your heels on the ground in front of you. Scoot your body off the bench so your arms are holding your weight and dip your buttocks down until your arms are bent at an angle between 45–90 degrees. Then, push yourself up to the starting position.