Push Up
Master the classic push-up to build chest, shoulder, and triceps strength. This fundamental bodyweight exercise improves upper body endurance and core
Description
A push-up is a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position. The exercise involves raising and lowering the body using the arms.
How to Do Push Up
- 1Setup
Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward, directly under your shoulders.
- 2Setup
Ensure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels; engage your core and glutes to prevent your hips from sagging or rising.
- 3
Inhale as you bend your elbows, lowering your chest towards the floor until your upper arms are parallel to the ground or just below, keeping your elbows tracking slightly backward at about a 45-degree angle to your torso.
- 4
Exhale and powerfully push through your palms to extend your arms, returning to the starting plank position.
- 5
Maintain core tension throughout the ascent and repeat the lowering and pushing phases for your desired repetitions, focusing on controlled and fluid movement.
Tips
- Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your torso, rather than flaring them out to the sides, to better engage your chest and protect your shoulders.
- Aim to lower your chest almost to the floor and fully extend your arms at the top to maximize muscle activation and achieve a full range of motion.
- Constantly brace your core as if preparing for a punch to maintain a rigid body line and prevent your hips from sagging or rising too high.
- Coordinate your breath by inhaling on the way down and exhaling forcefully on the way up to support your movement and maintain core stability.
Common Mistakes
- ×Avoid letting your hips drop towards the floor; instead, keep your core tight and maintain a straight line from head to heels throughout the movement.
- ×Do not let your elbows flare out wide to the sides; instead, keep them tucked at a 45-degree angle to your body to protect your shoulders and effectively target the chest.
- ×Refrain from performing partial repetitions without full extension or full depth; instead, focus on a complete range of motion by lowering your chest close to the floor and fully locking out your arms at the top.
Variations
Decline Push Up
Elevate your feet to intensify your push-up, targeting the upper chest and shoulders more effectively.
Wide Hand Push up
Perform wide hand push-ups to intensely target your chest muscles. This bodyweight exercise strengthens your pectorals, deltoids, and triceps effectively.
Plyo Push Up
An explosive push-up variation building upper body power. Explode up from the floor, briefly lifting hands, then absorb impact.
Drop Push Up
Master the explosive Drop Push Up to build powerful chest, shoulder, and triceps strength. Start standing, drop into a push-up, and explode back up.
Related Exercises
Kneeling Push-up
Build foundational chest, shoulder, and triceps strength with the kneeling push-up. Develop proper form and control for a stronger upper body.
Elevanted Push-Up
Elevated Push-Ups target your upper chest and shoulders more intensely than standard push-ups.
Chest Dip
Sculpt a strong chest with bodyweight Chest Dips. This powerful exercise targets your lower pecs, shoulders, and triceps for upper body strength.
Twist Push-up
Master the twist push-up for a dynamic challenge, building chest and core strength.
Assisted Standing Triceps Dip
Build triceps strength with machine assistance that lets you focus on proper dip form at a manageable load.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Track Push Up in your workouts
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