The pushup is a foundational bodyweight exercise valued for its accessibility and effectiveness in building upper body strength. This movement primarily targets the chest muscles (pectoralis major and minor), the anterior deltoids, and the triceps, making it a compound movement. Mastering the proper form ensures maximum muscle activation in the chest while protecting the shoulder and elbow joints from unnecessary strain.
Fundamental Body Positioning and Setup
The setup begins by establishing a high plank position. Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, ensuring your wrists are directly beneath your shoulders. The fingers should point forward or angle slightly outward for a comfortable wrist position and external rotation in the shoulder socket.
Maintaining a straight body line from the head to the heels is paramount for proper form. Actively engage the core by bracing your abdomen and squeezing your glutes tightly to prevent the hips from sagging or piking up. Keep your head in a neutral position, aligning the neck with the spine. This rigid, plank-like posture ensures the chest muscles are the primary movers throughout the repetition.
Executing the Movement
The execution phase involves a controlled lowering (eccentric) motion followed by a pressing (concentric) motion. Begin the repetition by inhaling and slowly bending the elbows, lowering the body as a single unit toward the floor. The descent should be controlled to maximize muscle fiber recruitment.
As you lower, the elbows should tuck toward the torso, forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the body. This angle is important for shifting the workload onto the pectorals and reducing stress on the shoulder joint, compared to flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees. Continue lowering until the chest is nearly touching the ground, or until the upper arms are parallel to the floor.
Once maximum depth is achieved, exhale and press through the palms to push the body back up to the starting position. Maintain the core and glute tension established in the setup, moving the body in a single, straight line. Fully extend the arms at the top without locking the elbows, then immediately begin the next controlled repetition.
Modifications for Different Skill Levels
The pushup can be easily scaled to match any strength level while still focusing on the chest muscles.
Reducing Load (Beginners)
For beginners, the load can be reduced by performing an incline pushup, placing the hands on an elevated surface like a sturdy chair or a wall. This modification decreases the percentage of body weight being lifted, allowing the user to practice the full range of motion and maintain straight body alignment.
Alternatively, dropping to the knees is a common modification that reduces the total load. The core and glutes must still be squeezed to maintain a straight line from the head to the knees.
Increasing Resistance (Advanced)
For advanced individuals, resistance can be increased or specific muscle areas emphasized. Decline pushups, where the feet are elevated on a bench, shift more body weight onto the hands and increase activation of the upper portion of the pectoralis major. A wide-grip pushup, with hands placed significantly wider than shoulder-width, further emphasizes the outer pectoral fibers and reduces the involvement of the triceps.
Identifying and Correcting Common Errors
One of the most frequent form faults is allowing the elbows to flare out to the sides, creating a T-shape with the body and arms. This wide angle places excessive strain on the shoulder capsule and primarily engages the triceps instead of the chest. To correct this, focus on actively pulling the elbows back toward the feet during the lowering phase, ensuring they maintain the targeted 45-degree angle.
Another common error is the loss of a neutral spine, which often manifests as the hips sagging toward the floor or piking upward. Sagging hips indicate a disengaged core and can place undue stress on the lower back. The correction involves consciously bracing the core and squeezing the glutes throughout the entire movement.
Finally, performing partial repetitions, where the chest does not approach the floor, significantly limits the effectiveness of the exercise by reducing the muscle’s time under tension and range of motion. If full depth cannot be reached with proper form, the user should regress to an incline or knee modification to practice the full, controlled movement.