Pushups to Shoulder Taps (Modified)
The modified version runs the same press-then-tap sequence from the knees or an incline, shrinking the load so beginners can learn the weight-shift skill before full bodyweight arrives. It exists because most people can either press or stabilise early on — this lets them practise both without failing at either. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 sets x 4-6 reps (press + both taps) | 90 sec - 2 min |
| Muscle | 3 sets x 9-12 reps | 60-90 sec |
| Endurance | 2-3 sets x 18-27 reps | 30-45 sec |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner — the right starting point for the press-plus-stability combo; progress the base, never the sloppiness.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Choose your base — knees down on a mat, or hands on a bench or low table.
- Perform one push-up through the fullest range your base allows.
- Shift weight onto one hand and touch the opposite shoulder deliberately.
- Repeat on the other side, keeping the hips as still as a parked car.
- Reset the body line before the next press — the reset is part of the rep.
Breathing: Exhale on the press, then keep easy, continuous breaths through the taps and the reset.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program pushups to shoulder taps (modified)
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength — beginner | 3 | 4-5 (press + both taps), knees down | 2-0-1-0, 1 s per tap | 90 s - 2 min | 6-7 |
| Strength — standard | 4 | 4-6 with 2 s bottom pause | 2-2-1-0, 1 s per tap | 90 s - 2 min | 7 |
| Strength — advanced | 4 | 4-6 with knees set far back | 3-1-1-0, 2 s per tap | 2 min | 7-8 |
| Hypertrophy — beginner | 3 | 8-9 | 2-0-1-0, quick taps | 90 s | 7 |
| Hypertrophy — standard | 3 | 9-12 | 2-0-1-0, quick taps | 60-90 s | 7-8 |
| Hypertrophy — advanced | 3-4 | 10-12 with 3 s lowering | 3-0-1-0, controlled taps | 60-90 s | 8 |
| Endurance — beginner | 2 | 12-16 | steady rhythm | 45 s | 6 |
| Endurance — standard | 2-3 | 18-27 | steady rhythm | 30-45 s | 7 |
| Endurance — advanced | 3 | 22-27 or 45 s continuous | brisk, hips silent | 30-45 s | 7-8 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 1-2 | 2 | 4-5 knee push-ups, then 6 taps separately | learn each half alone | 90 s | 4-5 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 3-4 | 3 | 5-6 combined reps, knees wide | slow taps, wide base | 90 s | 5-6 |
| Deload / technique | 2 | 5-6 at a high incline instead of knees | slow and quiet | 90 s | 4-5 |
Common questions
Should I modify with knees down or hands elevated?
Hands elevated preserves the straight body line, so the taps train the same full-body stillness you will need later — choose it if a bench, sturdy chair, or staircase is available. Knees down needs nothing but a mat and controls wobble better for very new trainees. Either way, the progression is the same: lower the surface or straighten the legs as control improves.
Is this combination worth doing if I can't do full push-ups yet?
Yes — arguably it is most valuable exactly then. You develop the pressing pattern and the weight-shift skill in parallel, so when your first full push-up arrives, the stability to use it well arrives with it. People who train only the press often reach full push-ups with hips that swing the moment anything asymmetric happens.
How do I know when to progress to the full version?
Three checks: you complete 10 to 12 modified reps with the full press-tap-tap sequence, your hips stay level through every tap, and the final rep looks like the first. Meet all three and either lower your incline a step or move from knees to toes for the taps only, keeping knee push-ups for the press until the full combination clicks.
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