Diamond push-ups are a great way to strengthen your upper body and grow your triceps. Once you’ve mastered the proper form of regular push-ups, it’s time to give this amazing variation a try!
8 Diamond Push up Benefits
1. Effective for triceps
Diamond push-up is one of the most powerful exercises you can do for your triceps. This bodyweight exercise involves a unique hand position that stimulates your triceps – especially the long heads – better than the regular push-ups.
It helps you gain stronger arms and empowers you to try other exercises that involve your triceps muscles such as kickbacks, dips, overhead, and lying triceps extensions.
2. Versatile exercise
This compound exercise works on both the upper and lower sections of your body.
Your major chest, shoulder, and leg muscles are activated, such as the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid. and quadriceps.
3. Core stability & strength
This push-up variation helps boost your structural stability and core strength, including your transverse abdominal muscle.
You’ll soon notice how it helps with your balance in your everyday life.
4. Excellent home workout
The best part is that you can perform this highly effective push-up variation without any equipment since you only need to use your body weight.
The fact that you can practice it anywhere at any time makes it a must for your home workout regimen.
5. A great variation for close-grip push-ups
If you often do close-grip push ups and bench presses, it’s time to try this.
Close-grip push-ups work your upper body muscles, including your shoulders, chest, and triceps; and this is another variant of push-ups where you keep your hands closer to each other compared to the regular version.
6. Rapid development towards One-Arm Push-up
Diamond push-ups increase your arm strength and prepare you to try “One-Arm” push-ups. Not everyone can do this since it takes incredible balance and super strong triceps muscles.
7. Increased arm volume and strength
Many fitness enthusiasts believe that only heavy lifting is the way to build bigger arms. But in reality, you need to pay attention to isolation exercises that target your triceps and biceps.
The good news is that diamond push-ups are a fantastic choice and if you still want to go heavy, put some weight plates on your back.
8. Maximum athletic performance
You achieve power, endurance, and overall fitness as you master this exercise that can take you one step closer to becoming a great athlete.
A Quick Guide to Perfecting Diamond Push-UPS
- Get down to the ground on your hands and knees as you would do for a standard push-up.
- But this time get your hands into a diamond or eponymous shape bringing your thumbs and forefingers together.
- When you come down, the diamond shape should stay right at the center of your chest.
- Keep your elbows, core tight and straight at a 45-degree angle; and your hips level.
- Inhale with your nose as you go down and exhale as you push up.
- You should not go too high with your hands; because it will put extra pressure on your shoulders.
- Keep your hands right below the chest and your elbows in.
- Focus on your chest and triceps, and not on shoulders as you do diamond push-ups.
Why Do You Need Diamond Push-UPS?
This is an advanced version of the regular push-up that actively involves your triceps a lot more.
Try this if you want a fuller chest, bigger triceps, and stronger shoulders.
Common Mistakes of Diamond Push-UPS
1. Improper arm positioning
When your hands are far forward, your core and gluteal muscles may not engage, so your hips might get out of alignment.
Keeping the diamond (your hands/fingers) exactly under your shoulders in the high plank point ensures maximum engagement of your core and glute muscles throughout the session.
2. Flared out elbows
Flared out and pointy elbows are the most common mistakes you might see at the gym.
Position your arms and torso at a 45-degree and keep the elbows easy and tucked, then try to aim the elbows to the toes.
3. Dropping the hips
Another common mistake is sagging hips. Put your entire back and butt in an even, flat position.
Avoid pushing your glutes down straight away since this will end in poor execution. Otherwise, you may not achieve any range of motion in your push-ups and it will put an accidental strain on your spine.
4. Progressing too fast
Your elbows take more load than regular push-up ones. You may end up with pain in your elbows or similar muscle soreness.
Diamond Push-up: Muscles worked
Important Diamond Push-up Considerations
Warm-up real good
You may overlook the need for a good warm-up session before doing diamond push-ups. You need this to prepare your body and mind, increase stamina, and avoid injuries.
Practice to perfect it
Diamond push-ups come with countless benefits. But you may find it difficult or awkward to do as you try it for the first time.
If it feels extremely difficult for you, you may try the adapted version – instead of putting the weight on your toes, support yourself on the knees and it’ll eliminate some of the load.
You can go for the classic version soon after as you gain a little more strength.
Diamond push-ups for an effective workout
Push-ups are essential bodyweight workouts. We recommend that you add a few easier variations with diamond push-ups for better gains.
Begin with diamond push-ups after you’re warmed up. Then go for some less challenging push-ups as your body gets exhausted.
For instance –
a) Diamond push-ups ~ 10-25 reps for 3 sets
b) Standard push-ups ~ 10-20 reps for 3 sets
c) Incline push-ups ~ 15-25 reps for 3 sets
Diamond push-ups for chest
Diamond pushups are the easiest way to warm up your chest muscles when you can’t go heavyweight. This may not be as effective as bench presses but you’re sure to notice some improvements.
This push-up variation certainly helps tone your chest and build muscle since it hits your pectorals as you push up.
When to stop doing diamond push-ups
- Diamond push-ups are not for beginners. If you’re one, master regular push-ups first
- Avoid diamond push-ups when you already have pain in your shoulders or elbows. The close-grip push-up is a safer alternative.
FAQs
1. How many diamond pushups are good?
Ans: 5 sets of 20 reps are good enough to make progress.
2. What is the hardest type of push-up?
Ans: One-arm push-up is the hardest of all. You support yourself on one hand and your toes to do this variation.
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