Push-Up: Form Guide, Muscles and Mistakes
Load card
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Muscle group
- Chest
- Main muscles
- pectoralis major, triceps
- Also working
- anterior deltoid, core
- Mechanics
- Compound
- Pattern
- Horizontal push
- Level
- Beginner
The push-up is a fundamental bodyweight exercise that builds foundational upper body strength. It requires zero equipment, making it a reliable staple for any training program whether you are at home or on the road.
As a compound horizontal push, it primarily targets the pectoralis major and triceps. You will also heavily engage the anterior deltoid and core as supporting muscles to stabilize your body throughout the movement.
How to do it
Get down on the floor on all fours, placing your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Step your feet back to form a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to lock your body into a rigid plank.
- Lower your body under control by bending your elbows.
- Keep your elbows tucked at roughly a 45-degree angle to your torso as you descend.
- Stop when your chest is just above the floor.
- Press through your palms to push your body back up to the starting position.
Sets, reps and load
Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. If you can perform more than 15 reps with good form, it is time to progress to a harder variation.
Since this is a bodyweight movement, you can increase the difficulty by raising your feet or wearing a weighted vest.
Common mistakes
- Sagging hips. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core tight before you start the descent.
- Flared elbows. Tuck your elbows closer to your sides to protect your shoulders and better engage your triceps.
- Half reps. Lower yourself all the way down until your chest nearly touches the floor, then straighten your arms fully at the top.
- Dropping the head. Pull your chin back slightly and keep your gaze fixed on the floor just ahead of your fingertips.
Make it easier or harder
Easier
- Incline push-ups with your hands placed on a bench or sturdy box.
- Knee push-ups on a comfortable mat.
Harder
- Decline push-ups with your feet raised on a bench.
- Weighted push-ups wearing a weight vest.
Before you load it up
- Wrist position matters here. Wrist pain is a reason to change the grip, use handles or fists, or choose another variation.
- Your arms and shoulders carry a large share of body weight. Shoulder or elbow pain is a reason to choose an easier variation.
Swaps and related chest exercises
Same muscle group with different equipment:
- Resistance Band Chest Press Resistance band
- Dumbbell Bench Press Dumbbell
- Dumbbell Floor Press Dumbbell
- Resistance Band Chest Fly Resistance band
More bodyweight options:
- Incline Push-Up Horizontal push
Browse all bodyweight exercises or every chest exercise.
When to see a doctor or physio
- Sharp pain in the front of your shoulder joint during the descent.
- Numbness or tingling traveling down your arms into your hands.
- Persistent wrist pain that does not improve with rest or a change in hand position.
This page is general training information, not medical advice. If you are new to strength training, managing a health condition, pregnant or coming back from an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
How this page was made. Exercise data (equipment, muscles, mechanics, level) compiled by the Unite Journal Crew as a general anatomy guide, cross-checked against the public-domain free-exercise-db list. Text drafted with AI assistance and edited by the crew; see our house rules. Last checked October 2026.