Push-up
Also called: press-up
Straight body, lower your chest to the floor, push back up.
Bottom: chest, triceps working.
Main: chest, triceps Also: front shoulders, core
Simplified illustration. Follow the steps and cues for exact form.
- Main muscles
- chest, triceps
- Equipment
- None
- Level
- First day in a gym
- Pattern
- Push
Wear and bring
- A mat or folded towel under your knees, back or hands.
Key cues
- Hands a little wider than your shoulders.
- Body straight from head to heels.
- Elbows about 45° from your body.
How to do it
- Start at the top of a push-up with arms straight and body in a straight line.
- Lower your chest until it is a fist's height from the floor.
- Push back up to straight arms.
- Too hard? Put your hands on a bench, table or wall. The higher the hands, the easier it is.
Common mistakes
| Common mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Hips sag | Squeeze your glutes and brace your stomach, as in a plank. |
| Only moving your head | Your chest goes toward the floor. Raise your hands on a surface until you can do full reps. |
Stop if
Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain in your shoulders, elbows or wrists, numbness or tingling, or pain that gets worse with each rep. Burning in the working muscles, heavy breathing and shaky last reps are normal effort.
Related: shoulder pain, wrist pain.
By equipment
No equipment needed, so this works the same with every setup.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Reps | Sets | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–6 | 3–5 | 2–5 min |
| Muscle | 6–15 | 3–4 | 1–2 min |
| Fat loss | 8–15 | 2–4 | 1–1½ min |
| General health | 8–12 | 1–3 | 1–2 min |
Where these come from: Goals. In a program, follow the program's numbers.
General information, not medical advice. If you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor or physical therapist before starting.