# Push Up Alternate Rear Lunge Against Wall - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/7679/push-up-alternate-rear-lunge-against-wall/ - Media ID: 7679 - Primary muscle: Chest - Body part: Chest - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/7679/push-up-alternate-rear-lunge-against-wall.mp4 ## Description Push Up Alternate Rear Lunge Against Wall is a standing, low-impact compound exercise that combines an incline-style push-up with an alternating rear leg reach. You place your hands on a wall at roughly shoulder height, lean your body toward the wall as you bend your elbows, and lift or extend one leg behind you as you press back out, switching legs with each repetition. Because the hands stay elevated and fixed, the pressing portion is significantly easier than a floor push-up, while the rear lunge adds balance, hip, and single-leg demands that a standard wall push-up does not have. The pressing portion mainly works the chest, front shoulders, and triceps, similar to a push-up performed on a raised surface. The rear lunge portion recruits the glutes and hamstrings of the moving leg, the quads and calves of the standing leg, and the core and hip stabilizers that keep your torso square to the wall. Holding a leaning position on one leg also challenges the ankle stabilizers more than most people expect, which is part of why the movement feels harder than its wall-based setup suggests. This exercise suits beginners building toward floor push-ups, older adults or anyone in rehab-style training who needs a low-load pressing pattern, and people who want a quick upper-body and balance drill without getting on the floor. It also works well as a warm-up before heavier pressing or lower-body training, since it raises the heart rate while grooving scapular control and single-leg stability. The setup matters because the wall is your only anchor. Hand height controls how much of your bodyweight goes through your arms: the higher your hands, the easier the press; the lower your hands, the harder it gets. Your distance from the wall controls your lean angle, so start conservative until you know how much load your wrists, elbows, and shoulders tolerate comfortably. To execute it well, keep a straight line from head to heel of your standing leg, brace your abs, and lower yourself toward the wall by bending your elbows rather than collapsing at the hips. As you press out, sweep one leg back with the knee soft, squeezing the glute of that leg, then bring it under you and repeat with the other side. Move at a steady tempo; the balance component punishes rushing. The main safety points are simple: keep your palms flat and fingers pointing up so your wrists stay neutral, avoid letting your lower back arch when the leg swings back, and keep your front knee tracking over your toes rather than caving inward. If you feel pinching in the shoulder or wrist, raise your hand position slightly and shorten your lean. ## Instructions 1. Stand facing a clear stretch of wall and place both palms flat against it at about shoulder height, slightly wider than your shoulders, with fingers pointing up. 2. Step your feet back until your body forms a straight, leaning line from head to heels, arms fully extended, and set your feet roughly hip-width apart. 3. Brace your abdominal muscles and squeeze your glutes so your hips do not sag or your lower back does not arch before you start moving. 4. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the wall, keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your torso rather than flaring straight out. 5. As you press back to arm's length, extend one leg straight behind you and slightly off the floor, sweeping it back with the knee soft and the glute squeezed. 6. Hold the extended-leg position for a beat at full elbow extension, keeping your hips level and squared toward the wall. 7. Lower the leg back under your hips, then bend the elbows again and extend the opposite leg on the next repetition, alternating rear lunges each rep. 8. Exhale as you press away from the wall, inhale as you lower back in, keeping the breathing rhythm matched to the pressing motion. 9. Complete your set, then step your feet forward toward the wall before taking your hands off to avoid stumbling backward. ## Tips & Tricks - If your wrists ache, turn your fingers slightly outward or raise your hand position a few inches — the higher the hands, the less bodyweight loads the wrists. - A common mistake is letting the hips rotate open as the leg swings back; pick a spot on the wall at eye level and keep both hip bones facing it. - Do not let the rear leg swing for momentum; lift it with a deliberate glute squeeze so the hip, not momentum, controls the range. - Keep the standing leg's knee slightly bent and stacked over the foot; a locked knee makes you wobble and strains the joint during the lean. - If your lower back arches when the leg extends, shorten the leg lift — you only need the foot a few inches off the floor to feel the glute work. - Slow the lowering phase to a two-count; most people rush wall push-ups because the press is easy and lose the chest and triceps stimulus. - Your distance from the wall is your intensity dial: step back half a foot to make the press harder, step in to make it easier. - If balancing is the limiting factor, widen your feet slightly or keep the toe of the extending leg lightly touching the floor instead of lifting it fully. - Stop the set if your shoulders shrug up toward your ears; reset by pressing the wall away and pulling your shoulder blades down before continuing. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Push Up Alternate Rear Lunge Against Wall work? The pressing portion primarily targets the chest, front shoulders, and triceps. The alternating rear lunge adds the glutes and hamstrings of the moving leg, the quads and calves of the standing leg, and the core stabilizers that hold your torso square to the wall. ### Is the Push Up Alternate Rear Lunge Against Wall good for beginners? Yes, it is one of the most accessible pressing exercises because the elevated hand position drastically reduces the load on the arms. Beginners can start with a steeper body angle and short leg lifts, then progress by lowering the hands and lifting the leg higher. ### How high should my hands be on the wall? Shoulder height is the standard starting point. Lower hand positions increase the load on the chest and triceps, so raise them if the press feels too heavy or your wrists complain. ### Should the rear leg stay straight or bent? Keep the knee soft rather than locked, but the leg is mostly extended behind you with the glute doing the lifting. A deep knee bend turns it into a different movement and reduces the glute and hamstring emphasis. ### Why do I wobble so much when I lift one leg back? Balancing on one leg while leaning on your hands challenges the ankle stabilizers and hips, especially if your feet are close together. Widen your stance, keep the standing knee slightly bent, or let the extending toe graze the floor until your balance improves. ### Can I use this exercise to build toward floor push-ups? Yes, it is a classic progression step. As you get stronger, step slightly farther from the wall or lower your hand height, then eventually move to a countertop or bench before attempting floor push-ups. ### How far from the wall should I stand? Start close enough that your elbows bend comfortably without straining, typically one to two feet back. Your distance sets your lean angle, so adjust it based on how strong the press feels. ### What is the most common mistake in this exercise? Letting the lower back arch and the hips rotate open as the leg extends back. Brace your abs, squeeze the glute of the moving leg, and keep both hips facing the wall to protect your spine and target the right muscles. ### What can I substitute if I do not have a clear wall? Any sturdy vertical surface at hand height works the same way, such as a door or a solid pillar. You can also perform a push-up on a countertop or bench and add a rear leg lift for a similar combined effect.