The push-up is a fundamental exercise for building upper body strength and endurance. Because it uses the body’s mass for resistance, a frequent question arises regarding the actual amount of weight the arms and chest muscles are pushing. Unlike lifting a barbell, the push-up involves moving only a fraction of your total mass due to the physics of the exercise. Understanding this specific percentage is useful for tracking fitness progress and selecting appropriate variations for training.
The Average Weight Lifted in a Standard Push-Up
In a standard push-up, the average percentage of total body mass lifted falls consistently between 64% and 70%. Research has established 64% as a reliable mean for the force exerted at the hands when the arms are extended. This percentage slightly increases as the body lowers toward the floor, sometimes reaching up to 75% at the bottom of the range of motion. The exact percentage within this range can vary slightly based on an individual’s unique body proportions, such as the length of the torso and limbs.
The Physics of Push-Up Resistance
The reason a full 100% of body weight is not lifted is explained by the body acting as a third-class lever system. In this system, the effort is applied between the fulcrum and the resistance. The fulcrum is located at the toes, the resistance is the body’s center of mass (near the midsection), and the effort is applied by the hands pushing against the floor.
Because the center of mass is positioned closer to the fulcrum (the feet) than the hands, the resistance arm is shorter than the effort arm, creating a mechanical advantage. This arrangement allows the hands to lift the body with less force than the body’s total weight. If the entire body weight were to be lifted, the body would need to be perfectly vertical, as in a handstand push-up, which places the fulcrum at the hands.
Adjusting the Load Through Form Variations
The push-up’s design allows for precise adjustments to the load by simply changing the points of contact with the ground, which alters the lever system. Performing a knee push-up, where the knees act as the new fulcrum, shortens the lever arm significantly. This variation reduces the resistance to a much lower percentage, typically around 49% to 55% of total body weight, making it an excellent starting point for beginners.
Conversely, elevating the feet above the hands, known as a decline push-up, increases the percentage of body weight lifted. Raising the feet shifts the body’s center of mass closer to the hands, effectively lengthening the resistance arm and increasing the difficulty. Depending on the height of the elevation, the load can increase to 70% or more, with an elevation of 60 centimeters resulting in approximately 74% of body weight being lifted. For a less challenging option, an incline push-up involves elevating the hands on a bench or box, which moves the hands closer to the center of mass and can reduce the load considerably, sometimes down to 41%.
Estimating Your Specific Push-Up Weight
To determine the specific weight you are lifting during a standard push-up, you can use the established average percentage as a simple calculation tool. Taking your total body weight and multiplying it by the approximate load percentage provides a highly accurate estimate of the force you are exerting. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds, multiplying that figure by 0.67—representing 67% of your mass—yields a resistance of 134 pounds.
This estimation provides a tangible number that can be used to track increases in strength over time. While laboratory measurements use force plates to capture the exact kinetic force, utilizing the 64% to 70% range is a precise method for practical training purposes. Knowing this specific weight allows you to compare the push-up’s resistance to other upper body exercises.