Chest · Bodyweight
Wide Push-up
How to do the wide 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
Begin in a plank position with hands wider than shoulder-width. Lower your chest to the ground, then push back up. Focuses more on chest than standard push-ups.
- 1Emphasize your chest by placing your hands wider than shoulder width
- 2Keep your core engaged to maintain a strong plank
- 3Lower yourself all the way until your chest nearly touches the ground
Common mistakes
- Avoid placing your hands so wide that it stresses your shoulders
- Don't let your hips sag or pike
- Avoid performing partial reps
Muscles worked
The wide 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 wide 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.