ProgreviaPush-ups
Home › Exercises › Chest › Push-ups
How to do it
Body in a straight line with a braced core, hands slightly wider than the shoulders and elbows at about 45°. Lower until the chest grazes the floor and press without letting the hips sag or the neck shrug.
Muscles worked
Mainly pecho. Train it inside a balanced routine to progress safely.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Horizontal push
- Minimum level
- Beginner
- Technical demand
- Basic
- Fatigue it generates
- Moderate (0.7 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Low
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As a compound lift, it fits in 3–5 sets of 5–12 reps leaving 1–3 reps in reserve (RIR). Prioritize it at the start of the session, when you're fresh.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Bouncing the bar or dumbbells off the chest instead of controlling the final part of the range.
- Using too much weight at the cost of technique and full range of motion.
- Doing reps too fast, without controlling the eccentric (lowering) phase.
How Push-ups compares with other chest exercises
The catalogue has 18 exercises with chest as the main muscle group. Ranked from least to most fatiguing with the same values the generator uses, Push-ups is number 6 (tied with one other).
That makes it a good candidate for adding chest sets at the end of a session or in heavy weeks, when you want volume without extra fatigue.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 6 alternatives, such as Machine press, Dumbbell bench press and Incline dumbbell bench press.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-ups | bodyweight | Moderate (0.7 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Weighted push-up | bodyweight | Moderate (0.9 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Machine press | machine | Moderate (1.1 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Ring push-ups | bodyweight | High (1.2 out of 2.2) | Advanced |
| Parallel bar dips | bodyweight | High (1.4 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Dumbbell bench press | dumbbells | High (1.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Incline dumbbell bench press | dumbbells | High (1.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Decline bench press | barbell | High (1.6 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
Bodyweight. In the trial by Kotarsky et al. (2018), four weeks of progressively harder push-ups significantly improved bench press 1RM, just like training the bench press itself. It is a strength result, not a hypertrophy one, and the condition is the word progressive: the exercise has to keep getting harder.
- Kotarsky CJ, Christensen BK, Miller JS, Hackney KJ. Effect of progressive calisthenic push-up training on muscle strength and thickness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2018;32(3):651-659.
Alternative exercises
More Horizontal push exercises
Add it to your routine
Progrevia can generate a personalized routine that includes Push-ups based on your level, goal and available days.
Build your Chest workout
Generate a full routine with the emphasis on Chest and Push-ups among your preferred exercises. Free, no sign-up.
Not sure what to pick? The setup assistant walks you through it, one question at a time. Open the assistant
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Push-ups work?
Push-ups mainly works the pecho muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Push-ups should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for pecho to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
Is Push-ups good for building muscle?
Yes. Combined with progressive overload, good technique and enough rest, it's an effective tool to grow pecho.
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