Provided are methods and apparatus for enabling selective push processing during design and fabrication of an integrated circuit to improve performance of selected circuits of the integrated circuit. An exemplary method includes identifying a critical portion of an integrated circuit layout that defines a functional element having a critical operating frequency requirement and designing a subcircuit in the critical portion to enable performing a speed push process to increase performance of the subcircuit. The method can also include identifying at least one of a power supply node, a clock supply node, and an interface node at a boundary between the critical portion and a portion of the integrated circuit that is outside of the critical portion. The critical portion can be designed with a power domain that is independent of the portion of the integrated circuit that is outside of the critical portion.