Chest · Bodyweight
Chest Tap Push-up
How to do the chest tap push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start in a push-up position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lower your chest toward the floor, press back up, and at the top tap one hand to your chest before returning it. Alternate hands each rep.
- 1Feel your chest and triceps drive the press at the bottom
- 2Brace your core hard to stay balanced when one hand lifts
- 3Keep your hips level as you tap and return your hand
Common mistakes
- Don't let your hips sag or rotate when you lift a hand
- Avoid flaring your elbows wide on the press
- Don't rush the tap; stay controlled and steady
Muscles worked
The chest tap push-up mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, upper abs, lower abs, obliques, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
Kovo programs the chest tap push-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.