Chest · Bodyweight
Clock Push-up
How to do the clock push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start in a standard push-up position. Perform a push-up, then walk your hands and feet to rotate your whole body a step around an imaginary clock face before the next rep. Keep your core braced as you press from each new angle around the circle.
- 1Feel your chest, shoulders, and triceps press from each angle
- 2Keep your core tight and hips level as you rotate position
- 3Press through the full range on every rep around the clock
Common mistakes
- Avoid letting your hips sag or pike as you move around
- Do not flare your elbows wide; keep them near 45 degrees
- Avoid rushing the rotation and losing a braced trunk
Muscles worked
The clock push-up mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, front delts, upper abs, lower abs, and obliques assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the clock push-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.