Push-Up
A push-up is a moving plank. The moment the hips sag or the shoulder blades stop moving, it stops training the chest and starts grinding the shoulder.
How to do Push-Up
- Lie on the floor face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart while holding your torso up at arms length.
- Next, lower yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
- Now breathe out and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest.
- After a brief pause at the top contracted position, you can begin to lower yourself downward again for as many repetitions as needed.
Push-Up Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4-5 sets of 5-8 hard reps of a difficult variation — feet elevated, weighted with a plate, or archer. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
Hypertrophy
3-4 sets of 10-20 reps with a 3-second descent and a pause an inch off the floor, 60-90 seconds rest.
Endurance
3-5 sets stopping 2-3 reps short of failure with 45-60 seconds rest. Add reps week to week before you add difficulty.
Common Push-Up Mistakes
Letting the hips sag so the lower back takes the load instead of the chest and abs.
Squeeze the glutes and brace the abs before the first rep, and hold one straight line from heels to head the entire set.
Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides at 90 degrees, which grinds the front of the shoulder.
Keep the elbows at roughly 45 degrees from the torso so the arms form an arrow shape, not a T.
Only lowering halfway, which cuts out the stretched position where the chest does the most work.
Lower until the chest is a fist-width from the floor. If you cannot, elevate the hands on a bench and keep the full range.
Easier and Harder Than Push-Up
Swap Push-Up For
Push-Up — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Push-Up?
Lie on the floor face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart while holding your torso up at arms length. Next, lower yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale. Now breathe out and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Push-Up work?
The Push-Up primarily targets the pectorals. It is classified as a chest exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Push-Up should I do?
For muscle growth: 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps with a 3-second descent and a pause an inch off the floor, 60-90 seconds rest. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Push-Up good for beginners?
Yes. The Push-Up is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Push-Up?
Try the Dumbbell Bench Press, Chest Dip or the Barbell Bench Press. Each trains the pectorals with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
