Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push
Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push Exercise Description
The Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push is a bodyweight chest exercise that creates active tension by pressing your palms and forearms together in front of your chest. The primary mover is the pectoralis major, with assistance from the anterior deltoids and triceps, while the scapular stabilizers help maintain shoulder position. This movement emphasizes horizontal adduction at the shoulder without external load, making it useful for focused chest activation and control. Keeping a neutral spine and steady scapular position helps direct the work to the chest rather than the neck or lower back. Expect an isometric emphasis (continuous pressure), with the option to add a small, slow reach forward and return while maintaining inward pressure to challenge control.
- Muscle Groups: Chest, Pecs
- Target Muscles: Pectoralis Major - Sternal Head
- Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Anterior, Triceps Brachii - Medial Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Multifidus, Rhomboid Major, Transversus Abdominis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Chest
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Horizontal Shoulder Adduction
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Mid Chest
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push Exercise
‘- Stand or sit tall with feet grounded, ribs stacked over pelvis, and neck long.
– Bring palms together at mid-chest (prayer position), fingers pointing up; wrists neutral.
– Lift elbows to roughly hand height in front of you; keep them slightly forward of the torso, not flared wide.
– Set the shoulders: lightly retract and depress the scapulae; avoid shrugging.
– Press palms and forearms firmly together to create even, inward tension across the chest.
– Maintain neutral spine—no rib flare or low-back arch; keep glutes and abdomen gently braced.
– Optionally, while keeping inward pressure, slowly reach the hands a few inches forward and then return to mid-chest without letting the shoulders hike.
– Breathe continuously; exhale as you build pressure, inhale without losing position.
– Keep wrists straight and pressure centered through the whole hand (heel of palm to fingertips).
– Finish by returning hands to the chest, lowering elbows, and releasing tension gradually.
Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push Tips
‘- Stand or sit tall with ribs stacked over your pelvis and your neck long.
– Bring your palms together at mid-chest with fingers pointing up and wrists neutral.
– Lift elbows to about hand height and keep them slightly forward of your torso, not flared wide.
– Lightly retract and depress your shoulder blades to avoid shrugging as you press.
– Press your palms and forearms firmly together to create even, inward tension across the chest.
– Maintain a neutral spine by avoiding rib flare or low-back arch and gently bracing glutes and abdomen.
– If you add the reach, move the hands only a few inches forward and back while keeping constant inward pressure.
– During the reach, do not let your shoulders hike up toward your ears.
– Keep wrists straight and spread the pressure through your whole hand, from heel of palm to fingertips.
– Finish by bringing hands back to the chest, lowering elbows, and releasing tension gradually.
Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push Beginner Introduction
The Criss Cross Arms Prayer Push is a bodyweight chest drill that relies on self-created resistance rather than equipment. The hands come together in front of the chest, with the forearms pressed toward each other so the chest muscles generate continuous inward force. This squeeze-based action highlights the chest as the main worker, with support from the front of the shoulders and the backs of the upper arms. Muscles around the shoulder blades contribute by holding the shoulders steady, encouraging smooth, controlled motion.
The movement can stay completely static, with sustained pressure, or include a small, deliberate reach forward and return while that inward force remains constant. Throughout the exercise, the upper body is organized in a tall, aligned posture so effort centers on the chest instead of shifting into the neck or lower back. Calm, steady breathing and even pressure through the whole hand help reinforce tension, making this a focused choice for anyone interested in chest activation and control using only bodyweight.