How to do a push-up
A push-up is a bodyweight press: from a straight-arm plank you lower your chest to the floor and push back up. It trains the chest, the triceps and the front of the shoulders, and your core works the whole time to keep your body straight. It needs no equipment, and every level has a version that fits.
Muscles worked
Main: Chest (pectoralis major), Triceps, Front shoulders (anterior deltoids).
Also working: Core (abs and obliques), Serratus anterior, Glutes and thighs (holding the plank).
How to do a push-up
- Start in a high plank: hands on the floor just wider than your shoulders, fingers pointing forward, legs straight behind you.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your stomach so your body forms one straight line from head to heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor. Keep your elbows at about 45° from your body, not flared straight out.
- Go down until your chest is a fist’s height from the floor, or as low as you can with good form.
- Press the floor away to straighten your arms, keeping the straight line, and breathe out on the way up.
Form tips
- Hands under shoulders
- Brace your core, no sagging hips
- Full range: chest close to floor
Common mistakes
Hips sagging toward the floor
This puts the strain on your lower back. Squeeze your glutes and abs before every rep; if the hips still drop, use a knee or incline push-up for now.
Elbows flared out to 90°
Wide elbows load the front of the shoulder joint. Turn your hands slightly out and keep your elbows angled back toward your hips.
Half reps
Stopping halfway builds less strength. Lower until your chest nearly touches the floor; if you cannot, the move is too hard right now, so go one step easier.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier: Knee push-up
- Harder: Diamond push-up, Pike push-up
How many to do
A good starting point is 3 sets of 10 reps, resting 60–90 seconds between sets. Stop each set 1–2 reps before your form breaks down. When every set feels easy, add a few reps, then move to a harder version.
Questions
Is it OK to do push-ups every day?
For most healthy adults, a few easy sets a day is fine. If you train hard to near failure, give the muscles a day to recover between sessions.
How many push-ups should a beginner do?
Start with 3 sets of as many good-form reps as you can, stopping 1–2 reps before your form breaks. When you can do 3 sets of 12–15, move to a harder version.
Do push-ups build muscle?
Yes. Taken close to failure, push-ups build chest and triceps muscle much like a bench press with a moderate weight does.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, and stop if an exercise causes pain.
