Push-Up
The push-up is the exercise of pushing away from the floor while holding the body in a straight line; it works the chest, shoulder and arm muscles together with trunk control. It is one of the most complete upper-body pushing movements that needs no equipment.
| Primary muscles |
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|---|---|
| Secondary muscles |
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| Movement pattern | push |
| Level | Intermediate |
| Equipment | No equipment |
| How to perform |
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| Breathing | Breathe in as you lower and out as you push. |
| Common mistakes |
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| Easier variation | The Incline Push-Up, or push-ups with the knees on the floor |
| Harder variation | Raising the feet, extending the lowering phase to 3-4 seconds, or adding a weighted vest |
| Alternative | Dumbbell Bench Press |
| Caution | Anyone with wrist or shoulder problems should work with raised variations first; for wrist pain, push-up bars or resting on the fists can be tried. If the pain continues, it is sensible to consult a specialist. |
A push-up is a plank
Thinking of the push-up as an arm exercise alone ignores half the movement. Throughout the descent and the push, the trunk has to stay straight from head to heel, like a plank in motion. Hips that sag or rise show that it is the trunk, not the arms, that has tired; when that happens, going back to an easier variation moves you forward faster than insisting on broken form.
Depth and elbow angle
Repetitions through a full range, with the chest coming close to the floor, are worth more than short, rapid ones. Keeping the elbows at roughly 45 degrees to the trunk is usually more comfortable for the shoulder joint than either tucking them fully in or flaring them straight out. The hands sit shoulder-width apart or a little wider, with the fingers turned slightly out.
The road here, and the road on
You arrive at the full push-up through the Wall Push-Up and the Incline Push-Up. There is a road beyond it too: raising the feet, slowing the tempo or shifting weight onto one side can keep the movement challenging for years.
Related terms: Wall Push-Up, Incline Push-Up, Pectoralis Major, Triceps