Article · 3 min read

Hips sagging in push-ups and planks? How to fix it

Published 30 September 2026 by TRACK AI Coach

A push-up is a moving plank. Your chest and arms do the pushing, but your core has to keep your body in one straight line from your head to your heels. When it can’t, your hips either sag towards the floor or pike up towards the ceiling.

What good looks like

Picture a straight line from your ears through your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Your ribs are pulled down, your glutes are squeezed, and your neck is neutral, with your eyes on the floor just ahead of your hands.

Set up your hands and elbows

Place your hands under your shoulders or slightly wider, with your fingers spread. As you lower, let your elbows point back at about 45 degrees from your body instead of flaring straight out to the sides. Most people find it easier on the shoulders, and it makes the straight line easier to hold.

Why your hips sag

Your core tires before your arms do, often in the last few reps.
You never braced in the first place.
Your glutes are switched off, so your pelvis tips forward.
The variation is too hard for now.

Why your hips pike up

Lifting your hips shifts weight off your arms and makes the push-up easier, which is why it creeps in when you’re tired. It also reduces how much your chest works.

How to fix it

Brace before every rep. Squeeze your glutes, pull your ribs down and tighten your stomach as if you’re about to be poked.
Raise your hands. Push-ups against a bench or table take weight off your arms and core so you can own the position. Lower the surface as you get stronger.
Practise the plank. Three holds of 20 to 30 seconds with perfect form, a few times a week, build the endurance your push-ups need.
Do fewer, cleaner reps. End the set when your hips start to move rather than grinding out ugly reps.
Slow down. Take two or three seconds to lower; control beats speed.

A four-week progression

Week 1: push-ups against a kitchen counter, 3 sets of 8 to 12, with a one-second pause at the bottom.
Week 2: a lower surface, such as a sturdy bench or a step.
Week 3: lower again, or stay at the same height and take three seconds to lower on every rep.
Week 4: start with a set on the floor, then finish your sets with your hands raised. A straight line matters more than the height of your hands.

Core exercises that help

Plank: 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds, stopping as soon as your line breaks. See how long to hold a plank.
Side plank: 2 holds of 15 to 30 seconds on each side, knees down if you need to.
Dead bug: lie on your back with your arms pointing up and your knees above your hips. Slowly lower the opposite arm and leg towards the floor while your lower back stays down. 2 sets of 6 to 8 on each side.

What about knee push-ups?

Knee push-ups are fine, and the same rule applies: a straight line, this time from your head to your knees. Many people find that raised-hand push-ups teach the full position better, because your legs and hips work just as they will on the floor.

Test yourself

Film a set side-on, or set your phone on the floor to the side of you during a TRACK AI push-up or plank set. The coach calls out “Hips sagging” or “Hips too high” the moment your line breaks, and in a plank the timer pauses while your hips sag.

See the push-up guide and the plank guide for step-by-step technique and easier and harder versions.