Diamond Push Ups

Also known as: Triangle Push Ups

Anton YefanovUpdated October 10, 2026

Diamond Push Ups demonstration, with the triceps highlighted

The diamond push up brings the hands together under the chest to form a diamond shape, which narrows the press path and shifts the load almost entirely onto the triceps. The chest still helps, but the long range of elbow extension is what makes this variation a serious arm builder without weights.

How to do the Diamond Push Ups

Get into a high plank with your hands directly under your chest, thumbs and index fingers touching.
Set your feet about hip-width apart and lock your body into a long line from head to heels.
Brace your core and squeeze the glutes so the hips stay in line throughout the rep.
Lower your chest toward your hands while keeping the elbows tucked close to your ribs.
Pause briefly when the chest is just above your hands, feeling the triceps fully loaded.
Press back up to full arm extension by driving through the triceps, then repeat for reps.

Muscles worked

Diamond push ups work the triceps, with the chest and front delts helping at the bottom and the core holding your body in a straight line. Bringing the hands together under the chest forces the elbows to bend through a long range, so elbow extension, the triceps' main job, does most of the work of pushing you back up.

The triceps are under the most stretch at the bottom, with your chest just above your hands, and they stay loaded all the way to lockout. Tucking the elbows close to the ribs reduces how much the chest can contribute, which is what makes this a triceps exercise rather than a standard push up. If the elbows flare out wide, the chest takes back more of the load. Squeezing the glutes and bracing the core stops the hips from sagging.

Primary:: Triceps

Why train it

Builds triceps size and strength with only bodyweight.
Develops a stronger lockout that carries into pressing lifts.
Trains a tight, elbow-tucked press pattern that protects the shoulders.

Common mistakes

Flaring the elbows out wide, which turns the lift back into a chest push up and removes the triceps focus.
Letting the hips sag or pike, which breaks the plank line and shifts strain into the lower back.
Not bringing the hands close enough so the diamond shape disappears and the lift loses its triceps bias.
Cutting the range short by stopping high above the hands instead of touching down for full triceps stretch.

Frequently asked questions

Are diamond push-ups harder than regular push-ups?

Yes, for most people. The close hand position puts much more of the work on your triceps and gives your chest less leverage. Expect to do noticeably fewer reps than with a normal push-up. If you cannot do any yet, put your hands on a bench to make them easier.

Do diamond push-ups work the chest or the triceps?

Both, but the triceps far more than a regular push-up. A study measuring muscle activity found that a narrow, diamond-style hand position worked both the triceps and the chest harder than a wide one. That makes them one of the best bodyweight triceps exercises, with plenty of chest work as well.

Are diamond push-ups bad for your elbows?

They can bother elbows because of how close the hands are. If they hurt, move your hands slightly further apart so they make a narrow triangle instead of a tight diamond, and keep your elbows close to your sides rather than flaring out. A close-grip push-up with hands shoulder-width apart works the triceps almost as well.

Can diamond push-ups make your arms bigger?

They can build the triceps, which make up most of your upper arm. Take each set close to failure. Once you can do more than 20 or so, make them harder with a slower lowering phase, by raising your feet, or by adding a weighted vest.

What equipment do I need for Diamond Push Ups?

None. Diamond Push Ups are a bodyweight movement, so your own weight is the resistance and floor space is the only requirement.

Are Diamond Push Ups suitable for beginners?

Yes. Diamond Push Ups are rated beginner: you are the load, so there is no weight to get wrong. Add reps or time only once the position holds from the first of them to the last.

Can I do Diamond Push Ups at home?

Yes, anywhere. There is nothing to buy and nothing to set up, which makes Diamond Push Ups one of the movements worth keeping for days you never reach a gym.

How many sets and reps of Diamond Push Ups should I do?

Three to four sets taken within a rep or two of failure. There is no weight to add here, so progress by slowing the lowering phase, pausing at the hardest point, or moving to a harder variation once you can clear 15 clean reps.

What are good alternatives to Diamond Push Ups?

Floor Press, Reverse-Grip Tricep Pushdown, and Smith Machine Close Grip Bench Press train the same primary muscles as Diamond Push Ups. Pick whichever one suits the equipment in front of you.