Chest · Bodyweight · Beginner
Push-Up
The push-up is the bodyweight press you can do anywhere. Holding a straight plank, you lower your chest toward the floor and push back up, training the chest, shoulders and triceps while your core keeps your body in one line.
- Primary muscles
- Triceps Brachii, Anterior Deltoid
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
- Sets × reps
- 3 × 10–20, or as many clean reps as you can
- Rest
- 60–90 s
Muscles worked
Estimated activation, matching the orange paint on the 3D model.
- Triceps Brachiiprimary
- Anterior Deltoidprimary
- Pectoralis Majorsecondary
How to do the push-up
- Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, level with your chest, fingers pointing forward.
- Step your feet back and tuck your toes so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to keep your hips level.
- Bend your elbows back at about 45° and lower until your chest is just above the floor.
- Push the floor away until your arms are straight again.
Form cues and common mistakes
The same coaching points MUSQ shows on the lifter in the app.
Body Line
A push-up is a moving plank.
Why it mattersA straight line from head to heels keeps the load on the chest and triceps and makes the abs work to hold the trunk.
Common mistakeLetting the hips sag toward the floor, or piking them up.
Do this insteadSqueeze the glutes and brace the abs so the body moves as one piece.
Hand Position
Hands a little wider than the shoulders.
Why it mattersHands under or just outside the shoulders keep the forearms vertical at the bottom, the strongest pressing position.
Common mistakePlacing the hands far forward, toward the head, which loads the shoulders.
Do this insteadSet the hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, level with the chest, fingers forward.
Elbow Angle
Tuck the elbows about 45°.
Why it mattersAt roughly 45° from the torso the chest stays in its strongest line of pull and the shoulder joint stays supported.
Common mistakeFlaring the elbows straight out to the sides.
Do this insteadLet the elbows travel back at about 45° as you lower.
Depth
Lower all the way.
Why it mattersTaking the chest close to the floor works the chest through its full range.
Common mistakeShort reps that only bend the elbows a little.
Do this insteadLower until the chest is just above the floor, then press back up to straight arms.
Base
The toes are the back of the plank.
Why it mattersFeet together make the trunk resist more rotation; wider feet are easier to balance.
Common mistakeLetting the feet slide or the heels drop to one side.
Do this insteadTuck the toes, keep the feet together or hip-width, and push back through the heels.
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Push-Up FAQ
What muscles do push-ups work?
The chest, the front of the shoulders and the triceps, with the core and glutes working to hold the plank.
How many push-ups should I do a day?
Quality beats a daily number. Three sets close to failure with clean form, two or three times a week, is plenty to get stronger.
How can I make push-ups easier or harder?
Put your hands on a bench to make them easier; raise your feet, slow the lowering or pause at the bottom to make them harder.
