At a glance
- Main muscle
- Chest
- Also works
- Triceps and shoulders
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Rep range in Mitta
- 8 to 25 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Low
How to do it
- Body like a plank.
- Chest to the floor.
- Elbows at about 45°.
Pick a weight you can lift for 8 to 25 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating B
As effective as bench pressing at equal effort, but hard to load heavier.
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Deficit Push-Up · Bodyweight · rating B
- Dumbbell Bench Press · Dumbbell · rating A
- Machine Chest Press · Machine · rating A
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the push-up.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the push-up with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
push-up
What muscles does the push-up work?
The push-up mainly trains your chest. Your triceps and shoulders help.
How many reps of the push-up should I do?
Mitta plans the push-up at 8 to 25 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the push-up?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the deficit push-up, dumbbell bench press and machine chest press.
Is the push-up good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the push-up have rating B?
As effective as bench pressing at equal effort, but hard to load heavier.