Muscles worked
Chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.
Why push-ups works
A push-up is essentially a moving plank: as your arms bend and straighten, your core, glutes, and shoulders have to work continuously to stop your hips from sagging or piking. That combination of pressing strength and whole-body tension is why it transfers so well to other pressing movements, like bench pressing or overhead work.
How to do push-ups
- Start in a high plank: hands a little wider than shoulders, body in a straight line.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
- Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows at about 45° from your body.
- Stop when your chest is just above the floor.
- Push back up to the start without letting your hips sag.
Form tips
- Keep a straight line from head to heels.
- Look slightly ahead, not straight down.
- Lower under control — that builds strength.
Common mistakes
- Hips sagging or piking up.
- Flaring elbows straight out to the sides.
- Only doing half reps.
Who should modify or avoid this
If you have wrist pain, try push-ups on your fists or on parallettes/dumbbells to keep your wrists neutral instead of extended. Anyone with a recent shoulder injury should build up through incline push-ups (hands on a bench or wall) before progressing to the floor.
Sets and reps
Beginners: 3 sets of 5–12 reps (use knees if needed). Build to full reps, then add tempo or elevate your feet.
Variations & progressions
- Easier: knee push-ups or hands on a raised surface.
- Harder: tempo, diamond, or feet-elevated push-ups.
- Advanced: archer or one-arm progressions.
Looking for a full routine? Try our beginner bodyweight workout.