The pushup is a foundational compound bodyweight exercise, engaging the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles simultaneously. A beginner is someone who has never consistently performed the exercise or cannot yet complete five consecutive standard pushups with quality form. The focus for anyone new to pushups must be mastering the movement pattern before attempting to increase the volume or intensity.
Establishing Starting Volume and Frequency
Beginners should prioritize consistency and quality repetitions over sheer quantity. Aim for two to three sets per workout session. Within each set, target a repetition range of five to ten quality repetitions, even if this requires using a modified version of the exercise. The total number of pushups performed in a session depends on the individual’s strength level and the specific modification chosen.
Use the concept of “Reps in Reserve” (RIR) when starting strength training. For beginners, training at an RIR of three to four is recommended. This means stopping the set when you feel you could have performed three or four more repetitions with good form before reaching failure. This approach prevents excessive fatigue and allows the body to focus on learning the movement pattern while safely stimulating muscle growth. Beginners should train two to three times per week, ensuring a full day of rest between sessions.
Mastering Proper Form and Beginner Modifications
Achieving the correct pushup form is non-negotiable, as poor technique can place undue stress on the shoulder joints. In the standard position, the hands should be placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with the fingers pointing forward. The body must form a straight line from the head to the heels, which requires actively bracing the core and squeezing the glute muscles.
As you lower your body, the elbows should tuck in toward the torso, pointing back at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to protect the shoulder capsule from impingement. The head should remain in a neutral position, keeping the neck aligned with the spine. The repetition is complete when the chest approaches the floor, and the body pushes back up as one rigid unit.
If the standard floor pushup is too difficult, the first modification is the wall pushup, which significantly reduces the amount of body weight being lifted. Incline pushups, performed with the hands on an elevated surface like a stable bench or countertop, are the next step in difficulty. Choose an elevation that allows you to maintain the target repetition range with perfect form. The knee pushup is another modification, though it is less effective at training core stiffness than the incline variations because it changes the body’s lever length.
Strategies for Safe Progression
Progression in bodyweight exercises relies on the principle of progressive overload, which means continually increasing the demands placed on the musculoskeletal system to stimulate strength gains. Once a beginner can comfortably perform three sets of ten repetitions of their chosen modification with excellent form, it is time to increase the difficulty. The safest method of progression is to gradually lower the incline of the hands. Moving from a high countertop to a low step, and eventually to the floor, systematically increases the percentage of body weight being pressed.
Another systematic approach to increasing the challenge is through tempo training, which involves slowing down the movement. Specifically, focusing on the eccentric phase—the lowering portion of the pushup—can build considerable strength and muscle control. Beginners can try a “negative-only” pushup, lowering their body slowly over three to five seconds before returning to the start position using their knees. This method effectively leverages the fact that muscles are stronger during the lengthening phase, which prepares them for the full repetition.
Once standard pushups are mastered, further progression can be achieved through several techniques. The goal is to always make small, measurable adjustments to ensure consistent, long-term improvement.
- Increasing the number of sets.
- Increasing the overall training frequency.
- Shortening the rest time between sets.
- Implementing partial range of motion work, which can help strengthen specific sticking points in the movement.