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Push-Up

A bodyweight press that trains chest, shoulders and triceps while your core holds a rigid plank. Scalable for every level.

Muscle activation

  • Lower chest35%
  • Triceps25%
  • Front delts20%
  • Upper chest10%
  • Upper abs10%

Approximate share of work; varies with grip, stance and tempo.

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Step by step

  1. 1. Start position

    Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, fingers spread and pointing forward.

  2. 2. Mid-rep

    Keep elbows angled roughly 45° from your torso, not flared wide.

  3. 3. End of the movement

    Lower until your chest is a fist's width or less from the floor.

  4. 4. Common mistake

    Hips sagging toward the floor

Ways to do it

Chest press on 6 different setups — pick whatever is free in your gym. Progress is tracked separately for each.

How to do it

Setup

  1. 1Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, fingers spread and pointing forward.
  2. 2Step your feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
  3. 3Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs to lock the plank in place.

Execution

  1. 1Bend the elbows and lower your whole body as one unit.
  2. 2Keep elbows angled roughly 45° from your torso, not flared wide.
  3. 3Lower until your chest is a fist's width or less from the floor.
  4. 4Push the floor away until your arms are straight, spreading the shoulder blades slightly at the top.

Breathing

Breathe in on the way down, breathe out as you push up.

Tempo

2-1-1-0 (eccentric-pause-concentric-pause)

Muscles worked

Primary

Lower chest, Triceps

Secondary

Upper chest, Front delts, Upper abs

Key form cues

  • Body like a plank
  • Screw hands into the floor
  • Chest leads, hips follow
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging toward the floor

    Squeeze glutes and brace your abs; elevate your hands if you can't hold the line.

  • Doing half reps with only the head dipping

    Lower your chest close to the floor each rep; use an incline to make full range achievable.

  • Elbows flared straight out to the sides

    Tuck elbows to about 45° and keep hands just outside shoulder width.

Range of motion

From straight arms to chest just above the floor, with the body staying in one straight line.

Variations

  • Easier

    Incline push-up (hands on a bench or wall)

  • Harder

    Weighted or deficit push-up

  • At home

    Standard push-up — no equipment needed

  • Machine / cable

    Machine chest press

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