Shoulders · Bodyweight
Pike to Cobra Push-up
How to do the pike to cobra push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start in a downward dog pike with hips high and hands shoulder-width apart. Lower your chest in an arc toward the floor, then continue forward and up into a cobra position, pressing your chest up and dropping your hips. Reverse the arc to drive your hips back up to the pike and repeat.
- 1Feel your shoulders and triceps press as you move through the pike
- 2portion
- 3Feel your chest open and stretch as you rise into the cobra
- 4Keep the movement flowing in a smooth scooping arc
Common mistakes
- Do not flare your elbows wide as you lower into the pike
- Avoid forcing the cobra; let your hips drop only as far as comfortable
- Do not let your shoulders shrug up toward your ears
Muscles worked
The pike to cobra push-up mainly works the front delts, triceps, and side delts, with the forearms, upper chest, lower chest, mid chest, lower back, upper traps, upper abs, and lower abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the pike to cobra 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.