Chest · Bodyweight
Negative Push-up
How to do the negative push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start at the top of a push-up with hands under your shoulders and body in a straight line. Lower yourself toward the floor as slowly as you can, take three to five seconds on the way down, then reset to the top however you need to and repeat the slow descent.
- 1Chest and triceps resisting the descent the whole way down
- 2Core and glutes tight so your hips stay level
- 3Shoulder blades drawing together as you lower under control
Common mistakes
- Dropping fast instead of fighting the lowering phase
- Letting your hips sag or pike up
- Flaring your elbows out toward your ears
Muscles worked
The negative push-up mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, upper abs, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the negative 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.