# Lying Punches - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/8290/lying-punches/ - Media ID: 8290 - Primary muscle: Chest - Body part: Chest - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/8290/lying-punches.mp4 ## Description Lying Punches are a bodyweight movement performed flat on your back, where you drive one fist straight up toward the ceiling at a time while the opposite hand stays tucked near your chest. It looks simple, but the supine position changes the job entirely: instead of swinging from the hips like a standing punch, your chest, front shoulders, and triceps have to press the arm vertically against gravity while your torso holds the ground. This exercise is a good fit for beginners building pressing strength before touching a bench press, for people rehabbing back into upper-body pressing after time off, and for anyone training at home with no equipment. It is also a useful warm-up drill for boxers and martial artists, because it reinforces the feeling of extending through the target with the shoulder engaged rather than just flicking the arm out. Because you work one side at a time, you quickly notice if one arm is stronger or lazier than the other. The main muscles doing the work are the pectorals, the front deltoids, and the triceps, which extend the elbow and drive the arm to full vertical. Underneath, your abdominals and deep core stay busy the whole set, bracing to keep your rib cage and spine flat against the floor while the arm moves overhead. That combination of pressing and anti-rotation bracing is what makes Lying Punches more interesting than they first appear. Setup matters because the floor is your reference point. Keep your head, upper back, and hips in contact with the ground and your knees bent with feet flat, or legs extended if that feels comfortable. If your rib cage flares up as you punch, the press shifts away from the chest and into the shoulder joint, and you lose the core demand entirely. To execute well, start with both fists at chest height, elbows bent and close to your sides. Punch one fist straight up until the elbow is fully extended over the shoulder, pause briefly at the top, then lower it back to the starting position with control before switching sides. Move at a steady tempo rather than snapping the arm out, and exhale as each punch goes up. Use Lying Punches as a primer before pressing days, as a standalone home exercise for higher reps, or as a burnout finisher after chest and shoulder work. If you feel pinching at the front of the shoulder, reduce the range slightly and focus on keeping the punching arm tracking straight up from the shoulder rather than drifting across the body. ## Instructions 1. Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat or the floor with your head, shoulders, and hips in contact with the ground. 2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, or extend your legs out long if your lower back stays comfortable. 3. Raise both fists to chest height with elbows bent about 90 degrees and tucked close to your sides, as if guarding your face. 4. Brace your abdominal wall and press your lower back gently toward the floor so your rib cage stays down. 5. Punch one fist straight up toward the ceiling, extending the elbow fully and finishing with the arm vertical over the shoulder. 6. Squeeze briefly at the top with the chest and triceps engaged, keeping the fist in line with the shoulder rather than drifting inward. 7. Lower the arm back to the starting position at your chest under control, without letting the elbow slam down or the shoulder shrug up. 8. Exhale as you punch up and inhale as you return the arm to your chest. 9. Repeat with the opposite arm and continue alternating for the desired number of repetitions. 10. Reset your brace between reps if you feel your rib cage lift or your lower back arch away from the floor. ## Tips & Tricks - Reach for the ceiling rather than backward over your head; the punch should finish stacked over the shoulder to keep tension on the chest and front delts. - A common mistake is turning the movement into a bouncing arm-swing. Slow the tempo down so each rep takes about two seconds up and two seconds down. - Watch for the rib cage popping up as you press. If it lifts, your abs have stopped bracing — bend the knees more or punch with slightly less range until control returns. - Keep the non-working hand up at your chest instead of resting it on the floor; holding the guard position keeps both shoulders engaged. - If your shoulder shrugs toward your ear at the top of the punch, drop your shoulder blade back down and shorten the range slightly. - Your wrists should stay straight and firm inside a closed fist. Floppy wrists under speed are the usual cause of wrist discomfort in this drill. - Try matching your breathing to the punch — one sharp exhale per press. Holding your breath for a whole set is a common sign the core brace is too tense. - For more core demand, extend your legs out long along the floor; for an easier version, keep the knees bent and feet flat. - Do not let the punching arm cross toward the middle of your body. The path is straight up and straight down, which is what separates this from a standing punch. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which muscles do Lying Punches work? The main movers are the chest, front shoulders, and triceps, which press and extend the arm vertically. Your abs and deep core work continuously to hold your rib cage and spine flat against the floor while the arm moves. ### Are Lying Punches good for beginners? Yes. The floor supports your torso, there is no external load, and the vertical pressing path teaches the basic chest-and-triceps extension pattern that later transfers to push-ups and pressing exercises. ### Should my legs be bent or straight during Lying Punches? Either works, but bent knees with feet flat is the easier position because it helps your lower back stay in contact with the floor. Extending the legs long increases the core demand, so progress to that version once you can keep your back flat throughout. ### Why does my lower back arch when I punch? That usually means your abdominal brace has relaxed and the rib cage is flaring up as the arm extends. Slow the tempo, exhale into each punch, and shorten the range until you can keep the lower back pressed gently toward the floor. ### Do I need any equipment for Lying Punches? No, it is a pure bodyweight exercise. An exercise mat or carpeted floor is enough padding for your head and spine, and nothing else is required. ### Can Lying Punches replace a bench press? Not fully, since it trains the same pressing muscles without external load, so it is hard to overload for maximal strength. It works well as a warm-up, a beginner progression, or a high-repetition finisher alongside weighted pressing. ### How fast should I punch during the exercise? Keep the tempo controlled, roughly two seconds up and two seconds down, especially at first. Snapping the arm quickly shifts the work to momentum and reduces the chest and triceps involvement. ### My shoulder pinches at the top of the punch — what should I change? Make sure the arm finishes stacked directly over the shoulder rather than drifting across your body or behind your head. If pinching continues, reduce the range slightly and focus on keeping the shoulder blade down instead of shrugging. ### How many repetitions should I do of Lying Punches? Because it is a light bodyweight drill, higher reps work well — aim for 15 to 30 total punches per set, or use it for time, such as 30 to 45 seconds of continuous alternating reps.