Builds upper-body pushing strength using only your bodyweight.

Develops the chest, shoulders, and triceps simultaneously.

Strengthens the core by teaching full-body stability.

Requires no equipment and can be performed almost anywhere.

Easily scaled for beginners or advanced athletes.

Improves muscular endurance and body control.

Reinforces healthy shoulder mechanics when performed correctly.

Serves as an excellent benchmark for upper-body strength and conditioning.

Fits well into strength training, hypertrophy, athletic conditioning, military training, and general fitness programs.

What Is a Pushup?

The pushup is one of the most effective bodyweight exercises ever created. Despite requiring no equipment, it trains multiple major muscle groups simultaneously while improving stability, coordination, and muscular endurance.

Unlike many isolation exercises, the pushup teaches your body to move as a single coordinated unit. Your chest, shoulders, triceps, abdominals, glutes, and even your legs all work together to create a strong, controlled movement.

Whether your goal is building muscle, increasing strength, improving athletic performance, or simply becoming healthier, mastering the pushup is an excellent investment.

Step 1: Starting Position

Begin in a high plank position.

Your hands should be placed approximately shoulder-width apart, directly underneath or slightly outside your shoulders.

Your feet can be together or shoulder-width apart depending on what feels most stable.

Create a straight line from your head to your heels.

Brace your core as though someone is about to punch your stomach.

Squeeze your glutes to help maintain a neutral spine.

Your neck should stay neutral by looking slightly ahead of your hands rather than directly down or forward.

Step 2: Lower Yourself

Begin lowering your body under control.

Allow your elbows to bend while keeping them approximately 30–60 degrees away from your torso.

Avoid flaring them directly out to your sides.

Lower until your chest is just above the floor or lightly touches it while maintaining full-body tension.

Your hips and shoulders should descend together.

Step 3: Press Back Up

Drive your palms firmly into the ground.

Push yourself back to the starting position by extending your elbows.

Continue pressing until your arms are straight without aggressively locking your elbows.

Finish in the same rigid plank position where you began.

Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing

Inhale while lowering yourself.

Exhale as you press yourself back upward.

Avoid holding your breath throughout the entire set unless performing very heavy or maximal-effort repetitions.

Programming Recommendations

For general strength:

• 
  3–5 sets of 5–10 repetitions
  

For muscle growth:

• 
  3–5 sets of 8–20 repetitions performed close to muscular failure
  

For muscular endurance:

• 
  2–4 sets of 15–30+ repetitions
  

As you become stronger, increase the difficulty through more challenging variations rather than performing hundreds of easy repetitions.