How to do a Push Up
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Push Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Push Ups may be the most recognizable exercises out there. It’s one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do, and is a great way to develop functional strength in your upper body for pushing movements. It’s fantastic for beginners, or anyone with limited equipment, while still being a great addition for even the most seasoned lifters.
- Start with your elbows fully extended and your hands placed on the floor just outside shoulder-width apart.
- Brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing the abdominal muscles to create a straight and rigid posture from your heels to your shoulders.
- With your hips and knees extended throughout the exercise, flex your elbows to descend your chest to the floor while keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle to your torso.
- Return to the starting position after your chest has reached the floor.
Common Form Mistakes
Flared Elbows
Flaring your elbows out can sometimes help you lift heavier weights, but it places more tension on your shoulders. The ideal position can vary slightly from person to person, but try to keep your elbows around 45 degrees from your torso, and make small adjustments from there.
Flat Back
Don’t allow your hips to sag or raise up during this exercise. It’s very common to see this especially as you become fatigued during your set. Keeping your core engaged will help you keep your spine in a neutral position. It can also help to think of this exercise as a plank first, and the movement as a secondary piece to this exercise.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Push Up standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner3sets6reps1 Set Max7reps
- intermediate4sets7reps9reps
- advanced4sets7reps9reps
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Alternatives & Variations to Push Up
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 21,826 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
2. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 17,155 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
3. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 15,134 TIMESBench Press is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common upper body exercises. It’s a fantastic compound exercise that can help you build strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking upper body strength in general.
4. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 14,376 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
5. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 11,651 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
6. Push Up on Knees
83.4 mSCORESWAPPED 10,798 TIMESPush Up on Knees is a beginner-friendly variation of the standard Push Up. This compound, bodyweight exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By performing the exercise on your knees, you reduce the overall resistance, making it easier to execute. This is a great exercise for building the foundational strength needed to progress to full Push Ups.
7. Cable Crossover Fly
97.3 mSCORESWAPPED 9,971 TIMESCable Crossover Fly is an isolation exercise that targets the chest. It’s a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly, and can easily be adapted to further isolate specific areas of the chest. Using cables to add resistance allows you to keep more consistent tension on your chest, as well as control the angle that the resistance is coming from.
8. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 7,841 TIMESMachine Bench Press is a compound exercise the primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which can be a great way to learn the movement, or to focus your effort on exertion rather than stability.
9. Hammerstrength Chest Press
94.3 mSCORESWAPPED 7,202 TIMESHammerstrength Chest Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Bench Press. Similar to Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a Hammerstrength machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion. This can help you either learn the movement, or focus your efforts on exertion rather than stability.
10. Dumbbell Floor Press
73.8 mSCORESWAPPED 6,430 TIMESThe Dumbbell Floor Press targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders, offering a safer alternative to the bench press by limiting the range of motion. This exercise is effective for strengthening the upper body, with a focus on the lockout portion of the press, enhancing tricep strength and reducing shoulder strain. Ideal for those with limited equipment or seeking to minimize shoulder stress while still engaging the chest and arms.