CalisthenicsIn review

Deficit Push-Up

A push-up with the hands on two raised supports, so the chest can lower below hand level.

This page is a working draft. A coach has not reviewed it, so read it as a starting point, not as checked instruction.

Pattern: Horizontal push
Modality: Calisthenics
Difficulty: Intermediate
Mechanic: Unknown
Force: Unknown
Laterality: Bilateral
Impact: Low
Trains where: Gym, Home
At home: Yes

How to do it

Set up

Place two stable weight plates or two hex dumbbells on the floor, shoulder width apart.
Hold the supports with the hands under the shoulders and step the feet back until the body is in one line.

Do the rep

Lower until the chest is just below the level of the hands, with the elbows about 45 degrees from the body.
Press back up to straight arms.

What counts as a rep

A rep counts when the chest passes below the level of the hands and the arms return to straight, with the body in one line.

One rep starts at straight arms on raised supports, lowers the chest below hand level, and ends at straight arms with the body in one line.

Breathing

Inhale as you lower; exhale as you press up.

Cues

Lower slowly into the deep position.
Keep the shoulders away from the ears.
Use higher supports when the reps get easy.

Common mistakes

Dropping into the bottom
What you seeThe chest falls fast into the deep position.
FixLower under control and stop at a depth you can press from.
Control protects the shoulders at the stretch.
Flared elbows
What you seeThe elbows point straight out to the sides.
FixTurn the elbows to about 45 degrees from the body.
This position puts less stress on the shoulders.

Stop the set if

Stop if you feel sharp pain.
Stop if a support rolls or moves.
End the set when you cannot meet the stated range under control.

General educational content, not individual coaching or medical advice.

Muscles worked

Prime movers

Chest · moderate confidence
Triceps · moderate confidence
Front deltoids · moderate confidence

Assisting

Deep core / trunk stabilizers · moderate confidence
Serratus anterior · moderate confidence

Equipment

Bodyweight + Dumbbell or Weight plates

Optional: Floor mat

Use two supports of the same height that cannot roll: two weight plates or two hex dumbbells. Do not use round dumbbells. A mat is optional.

In the app

You log this by hand. The camera coach does not watch this movement yet.

Tracking: Camera candidate

How this page was checked

Draft. A editorial reviewer has not signed this off yet.

Draft text is original copy for Wave 2 batch 2, written from the blueprint CSV row and the Wave 2 rules page of 2026-10-12. No human review is complete.
Technique, cues, rep standard, breathing, stop cues, and error corrections need independent sources and the assigned review tier (blueprint two-source rule).
Programming roles, skill tier, failure cost, timed use, goal fit, and equipment follow the rules page; the switch-on PR must confirm them.
Anatomy uses the CSV planning hints; the assigned review tier must confirm it.
Legacy relations and engine edges stay empty until the progression ladder lane and S2-CAT-005.
Timed use and goal fit copy ex_push_up, the closest Wave 1 record.
Skill tier intermediate: the deep range at the bottom needs more strength and shoulder control than a push-up (rule 3). The CSV says beginner.
Exception to rule 1: the CSV lists only bodyweight and an optional bench. A deficit needs two raised hand supports, so the record requires two dumbbells or two weight plates and drops the bench. Home stays yes, because dumbbells are a home item.
Hex dumbbells or plates as hand supports need coach review for wrist position and stability.

All instruction and editorial text in this record is original draft copy written for Allena. Planning metadata comes from the internal Wave-2 blueprint CSV.

Train it in Allena

Allena plans your week around the days you can train, logs every set, and coaches your form from the camera.

Get the app