Push-up
A classic upper-body pushing exercise where you lower and press your body up from the floor.
Overview
The push-up is a foundational upper-body pushing exercise done with just your bodyweight. In a plank-like position, you lower your chest toward the floor by bending the elbows, then press back up. The whole body stays braced in a straight line, so the core works alongside the arms and chest.
It scales easily: raising the hands onto a wall or bench makes it more accessible, while lowering to the floor increases the challenge. This adaptability makes it a staple of general fitness and bodyweight training.
The movement
- 1Set your hands a little wider than your shoulders in a plank position.
- 2Brace your body so it forms a straight line from head to heels.
- 3Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
- 4Press back up until your arms are straight.
Beginner notes
- Placing the hands on a wall or bench makes an easier starting version.
- The body stays in one straight line from head to heels.
- Elbows generally travel back at a moderate angle rather than flaring wide.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Calisthenics
Bodyweight strength training — push-ups, pull-ups, dips and progressions you can do almost anywhere.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Boxing
A striking combat sport built on footwork, timing and conditioning, practised from fitness drills to controlled sparring.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Push-up to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Movement patterns
- PushPressing a load or the body away from the torso — horizontally or overhead — by extending the shoulders and elbows, developing the chest, shoulders and triceps.
- StrikeA ballistic, whole-body hitting action that channels ground-generated force through a proximal-to-distal kinetic chain to deliver momentum to a target via the hand, an implement or a body part at the moment of contact.
- SquatA knee-dominant pattern: bending the hips, knees and ankles to lower and rise while keeping the torso upright — the foundation of lower-body strength.
- LungeA split-stance, single-leg-emphasis pattern: stepping or dropping into a staggered stance and pushing back up to build single-leg strength, balance and stability.
- JumpThe plyometric pattern of projecting the body off the ground through explosive triple extension and controlling the landing — the core expression of lower-body power.
Coaching concepts
Training guides
- How to warm upA short, gentle warm-up gradually raises your body temperature and prepares your muscles and joints for the activity ahead.
- How to progress gentlyProgressing gently means increasing your training in small, gradual steps so your body has time to adapt.
- Bodyweight training basicsBodyweight training uses your own body as resistance, making it a simple and accessible way to build strength almost anywhere.
- How to cool downA cool-down is a few easy minutes at the end of a session that let your effort taper off gradually before you stop.
- Choosing the right intensityChoosing the right intensity is about matching how hard a session feels to its purpose, so most training stays comfortable and sustainable.
Training plans
- Three-Day Split ExampleA general example of a simple three-day training split that divides the week into a few focused sessions with rest built in between.
- Beginner Full-Body WeekA general example of a simple full-body week that spreads a push, a pull, a lower-body movement and some core evenly across three unhurried sessions.
- Home Bodyweight WeekA general example week of short, equipment-free bodyweight sessions you can do at home, built from simple movements like squats, push-ups and planks.
- Gentle Return to ActivityA relaxed example of easing back into a routine after time away, restarting well below where you left off and rebuilding gradually.
Techniques
- Push-UpA bodyweight exercise that lowers and raises the body by bending and straightening the arms while holding a rigid plank line.
- Bodyweight SquatA foundational lower-body exercise that lowers the hips by bending the knees and hips, then stands back up, using only body weight.
- PlankA static core exercise that holds the body in a straight line supported on the forearms and toes.
- DeadliftA strength exercise that lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees together.
Goals
- Sports for beginnersHow to start playing sport from scratch — choosing a first activity and building up gently.
- Sports for seniorsGentle, enjoyable ways for older adults to stay active, with guidance where sensible.
- Reduce alcoholHow activity and a fuller routine can support cutting back on alcohol — with professional support where needed.
- Reduce stressFind calmer, healthier ways to unwind through regular movement, gentle mind-body activity and time outdoors.
- DisciplineBuild consistency, focus and self-discipline through the routines that sport and training encourage.