Chest · Bodyweight
Push-up
How to do the 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
- Horizontal Press
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start in plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lower chest to floor by bending elbows, then push back up to starting position.
- 1Feel your chest, triceps, and front shoulders working
- 2Maintain a strong plank with your core engaged
- 3Move through a full range of motion touching your chest to the ground
Common mistakes
- Avoid flaring your elbows excessively
- Don't let your hips sag or pike up
- Avoid performing shallow half-reps
Muscles worked
The 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
Push-up strength standards
See how your push-up ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronze2 reps
Silver22 reps
Gold47 reps
Platinum71 reps
Diamond86 reps
Champion99 reps
Find your rank
Enter your best set of reps.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the 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 April 2026.