Chest · Bodyweight
Fist Push-up
How to do the fist 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
Set up in a push-up position with your hands in fists, resting on your knuckles instead of your palms, wrists held straight. Lower your chest toward the floor with elbows about 45 degrees, then press back up while keeping your body in a straight line.
- 1Feel your chest, shoulders, and triceps drive you up out of the bottom
- 2Keep your wrists straight and stacked over your knuckles
- 3Hold a tight core and level hips from head to heels
Common mistakes
- Do not let your hips sag or your head crane forward
- Avoid flaring your elbows out wide
- Do not let your wrists bend; keep the forearm and fist aligned
Muscles worked
The fist push-up mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, forearms, upper abs, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the fist 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.