How to do the Push-up, step by step
- Set your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width under your shoulders.
- Get your body into a straight line from head to heels.
- Lower yourself until your chest touches the floor.
- Keep your elbows angled back, about 45 degrees from your body.
- Press back up to full arm lockout.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Hips sagsqueeze your abs and glutes.
- Chest doesn't reach the flooruse the full range of motion or scale.
- Elbows flared way out to the sidesbring your elbows closer to your body.
How to scale the Push-up
If you can't do the movement cleanly yet or the workout is too heavy, use one of these variations:
- Push-up with hands on a box
- Push-up on your knees
- Negative push-ups
Also known as
Push up · Pushup
Benchmarks with Push-up
- Cindy20 min AMRAP: 5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats
- Chelsea30 min EMOM: 5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats
- Murph1 mile Run, 100 Pull-ups, 200 Push-ups, 300 Squats, 1 mile Run (Rx with a 9 kg vest)
- Angie100 Pull-ups, 100 Push-ups, 100 Sit-ups, 100 Air Squats
- Barbara5 rounds: 20 Pull-ups, 30 Push-ups, 40 Sit-ups, 50 Air Squats, 3 min rest between rounds (time includes rest)
- Candy5 RFT: 20 Pull-ups, 40 Push-ups, 60 Air Squats
- Marguerita50 reps for time, each rep: 1 Burpee, 1 Push-up, 1 Jumping Jack, 1 Sit-up, 1 Handstand
- JT21-15-9 Handstand Push-ups, Ring Dips, Push-ups
- Loredo6 RFT: 24 Squats, 24 Push-ups, 24 Walking Lunge Steps, 400 m Run
- McGhee30 min AMRAP: 5 Deadlifts 125 kg, 13 Push-ups, 9 Box Jumps 61 cm
- RJ5 RFT: 800 m Run, 5 Rope Climbs (4.5 m), 50 Push-ups
- Open 11.215 min AMRAP: 9 Deadlifts 70 kg, 12 Push-ups, 15 Box Jumps 61 cm
These descriptions are general guidance and don't replace a coach. Have someone at your box show you new movements, and stop if anything hurts.