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How to do push-ups

A push-up is a moving plank with a press attached, which is why it builds a chest and a trunk at the same time and needs nothing but floor.

Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, Triceps brachii, Anterior deltoid, Core

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How to do it

  1. Set your hands just outside shoulder width with the fingers spread and pointing forward.
  2. Squeeze the glutes and brace the trunk so your body makes one straight line from ear to ankle.
  3. Lower until the chest is a fist off the floor, keeping the elbows about 45 degrees from the torso.
  4. Press the floor away and push your upper back apart at the top instead of collapsing between the shoulder blades.
  5. Keep the neck long — the chin does not lead the rep.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Letting the hips sag, which turns the set into a low-back exercise.
  • Flaring the elbows out to a T and irritating the shoulder.
  • Half reps — the chest should reach the same depth on the last rep as the first.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Size4 sets of 10–20 reps, 60–90s rest
Beginner4 sets of 8 with hands on a bench, lowering the surface over time
Strength4 sets of 6 with a slow 3-second lowering or a weighted vest

Swaps and alternatives

  • Incline push-up — Scales the difficulty down without losing form.
  • Dumbbell bench press — Easy to load once bodyweight reps get easy.
  • Ring or deficit push-up — More range, more chest stretch.

Common questions

What people ask about push-ups

This guide covers push-up form, how to do push-ups correctly, push-up muscles worked, push-up sets and reps for muscle growth, bodyweight pectoralis major exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

Training the same muscles from another angle? Start with the full exercise library or let the free workout plan generator slot push-ups into a four-week block.

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