How to do a push-up
The push-up builds your chest, shoulders and triceps while your core works hard to hold a straight line. It needs no equipment and scales from complete beginner to advanced.
Step by step
- Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, fingers pointing forward.
- Step your feet back so your body forms one straight line from head to heels. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core.
- Lower your chest toward the floor with your elbows at about 45 degrees to your body, not flared straight out.
- Go down until your chest is about a fist’s height from the floor.
- Press the floor away until your arms are straight, keeping your hips in line the whole time.
Common mistakes the coach checks
- Hips sagging. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to hold a straight line from head to heels.
- Hips too high. Drop your hips into a straight line with your shoulders and heels.
- Head dropping. Keep your head in line with your spine instead of letting it hang.
- Too shallow. Lower until your elbows reach about 90 degrees so the rep counts.
- Not quite low enough. Bring your chest to about a fist from the floor on every rep.
- Not locking out. Press all the way up until your arms are straight between reps.
- Dropping too fast. Lower yourself under control instead of dropping.
Sets and reps
Do 3 sets of as many clean reps as you can, stopping one or two reps before your form breaks. Add a rep or two each week; once you can do 20, move on to a harder version.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Put your hands on a bench, table or wall (the higher the surface, the easier), or drop to your knees while keeping your hips in line.
- Harder: Feet raised on a step, a slow three-second lowering, or a pause just above the floor.
Stay safe
Keep your neck neutral by looking at the floor just ahead of your hands. If your wrists hurt, try push-up handles or a closed fist on a soft surface.
Check your form with the AI coach
Put your phone on the floor, 2 m to your side, in landscape if you can — head to heels in the frame. Side-on I can see your body line (hip sag) and how low your chest goes. It counts your reps and tells you out loud when your form slips.
Start a push-up set