Knee push-up
Full guide coming soon
Push-Up
The push-up is a bodyweight press that trains your chest, triceps and front shoulders. Your abs and glutes work at the same time to hold your body in a straight line.
- Beginner
- Compound
- No equipment
- chest
- triceps
- shoulders
Left: start position. Right: end position. Orange: the muscles that work.
How to do the push-up
- Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders with your fingers spread. Step your feet back so you are on your hands and toes.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs so that your body forms one line from your head to your heels.Breathe
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest. Keep your elbows at about 45 degrees from your body.
- Stop when your chest is about a fist's height from the floor.
- Push the floor away until your arms are straight. Your hips and shoulders rise at the same time.
- Keep your neck in line with your back and look at the floor a little in front of your hands.
Breathing. Breathe in as you lower your chest, and breathe out as you push the floor away. Keep your abs tight while you breathe.
Tips
- Spread your fingers and grip the floor to share the load across your whole hand.
- Count only the reps that keep your body in one line.
Muscles worked
The push-up works mainly the chest, triceps and shoulders.
- Chest (main muscle)
- Triceps (main muscle)
- Shoulders (front and side delts) (main muscle)
- Abs (core) (also works)
| Muscle | Role |
|---|---|
| Chest | Main mover. The pecs push your body up from the bottom position. |
| Triceps | Straighten the elbows. They work harder when your hands are closer together. |
| Shoulders (front and side delts) | The front delts help the chest move the upper arms forward. |
| Abs (core) (also works) | Holds your body in a rigid plank, so your hips do not sag toward the floor. |
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (first weeks) | 3 | 10-12 reps | 75 s |
| Build muscle | 3 | 8-12 reps | 2 min |
| Get stronger | 4 | 4-6 reps | 3 min |
| General fitness | 3 | 10-12 reps | 75 s |
| Fat loss (with more daily activity) | 3 | 12-15 reps | 60 s |
These numbers come from the same rules as the Oh My Coach app, with this exercise as the first main lift of the day. Use a load that leaves 1 to 3 reps in reserve. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add a little load or move to the harder version (double progression). What is double progression?
Common mistakes
-
Sagging hips
Why it matters: Your lower back arches, the abs stop working and the press gets shorter.
Fix: Squeeze your glutes and brace before each rep. Do the knee push-up until you can hold the line.
-
Elbows flared straight out
Why it matters: Elbows at a right angle to your body put more stress on the front of the shoulder.
Fix: Turn your elbows back to about 45 degrees, so your body and arms form an arrow shape from above.
-
Half reps
Why it matters: The hardest part of the rep is near the floor. Skipping it cuts the work for the chest.
Fix: Lower until your chest is a fist's height from the floor. Use an easier version if you cannot reach it.
-
Head pushing forward
Why it matters: Your chin reaches the floor first, so the chest does not travel as far.
Fix: Keep your neck neutral and let your chest lead the way down.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier Incline push-up
- Easier Knee push-up
- This exercise Push-up
- Harder Decline push-up
- Harder Archer push-up
If you cannot do clean reps yet, start with the knee push-up. When you can do every set at the top of the rep range with good form, move to the decline push-up.
Versions of this exercise
Incline push-up
Full guide coming soon
Decline push-up
Full guide coming soon
Archer push-up
Full guide coming soon
Diamond push-up
Full guide coming soon
Close-grip knee push-up
Full guide coming soon
Alternatives
Same main muscle and the same movement pattern first, from the same rules as the app's swap list.
Bench Press (Barbell)
Same movement pattern
Dumbbell bench press
Same movement pattern
Incline barbell press
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Incline Dumbbell Press
Same movement pattern
Machine chest press
Same movement pattern
Smith machine bench press
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
What you need
No equipment You can do this exercise anywhere.
Take care if
This exercise loads the wrist and shoulder. If your wrist hurts, stop. Options that do not load the wrist in the same way: Barbell bench press, Dumbbell bench press. For pain that does not go away, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.
If your wrists hurt, stop. Try push-up handles or hold a pair of dumbbells so that your wrists stay straight.
Questions
What muscles do push-ups work?
Push-ups work mainly the chest, triceps and front shoulders. Your abs, glutes and the muscles around your shoulder blades hold your body stiff during the set.
Are push-ups as good as the bench press?
They can be. In an 8-week study, push-ups set to a similar load as a light bench press gave similar gains in chest and triceps size and in strength. A second study found similar strength gains when band push-ups and the bench press were matched for muscle activity.
How do I make push-ups easier or harder?
For an easier version, do the knee push-up or put your hands on a bench. For a harder version, the app moves you to the decline push-up with your feet raised. A study on calisthenics found that a step-by-step move to harder push-up versions improved upper-body strength.
Should my elbows be in or out?
In between. About 45 degrees from your body works for most people. Elbows close to your sides put more work on the triceps.