# How do you do a proper push-up? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/proper-push-up/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Movement · Updated: 2026-10-13 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* Place your hands just wider than your shoulders, step your feet back so your body is one straight line from head to heels, and squeeze your bottom and stomach to hold it there. Lower your chest towards the floor with your elbows angled back rather than flared out, then push the floor away so everything rises together. If that's too hard for now, do push-ups against a wall, a kitchen counter or a step: they are proper push-ups too. The push-up is the little black dress of strength exercises: no equipment, works anywhere, never really goes out of fashion. It is also one of the most commonly wobbly exercises in the world, usually because people go straight to the floor version before it's the right one for them. Get the shape right first and the numbers look after themselves. ## The set-up ### Hands Put your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, fingers spread and pointing forwards. Your hands should sit roughly under your shoulders when your arms are straight, not far out in front of your head. ### Body line Step your feet back until your body forms one long line from the top of your head to your heels, like a plank of wood. Feet can be together for more challenge or a little apart for stability. The two classic faults: - **Sagging hips**, where your middle drops towards the floor like a hammock. - **Hips in the air**, a sort of downward dog with ambitions. Squeezing your bottom and gently bracing your stomach, as if someone was about to poke it, keeps the line. ### Head Look at the floor just in front of your hands. Your head stays in line with your spine, rather than dipping to touch the floor first or craning up to watch the telly. ## The movement 1. **Lower.** Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the floor, keeping the body line. Elbows angle backwards, roughly 45 degrees from your sides, rather than sticking straight out like a T. 2. **Pause.** Go as low as you can while keeping control, ideally with your chest just above the floor. 3. **Push.** Press the floor away. Your chest, hips and legs rise together, as one piece. Breathe in on the way down, out on the way up. Move steadily; a slow, controlled push-up is worth more than three hurried ones. ## Easier versions that still count There is nothing second-class about an easier push-up. It is the same exercise with less of your weight in your hands, and it's how most people build up. - **Wall push-up.** Stand an arm's length from a wall, hands on it at chest height, body straight, and lean in and push away. - **Counter or table push-up.** Hands on the edge of a sturdy kitchen counter or table. The lower the surface, the harder it gets. - **Stairs or bench push-up.** Hands on a step or a park bench. - **Knee push-up.** On your knees with a straight line from knees to head. A good step, though many people find an incline easier to progress from. Work down gradually: wall, counter, bench, low step, floor. When you can do a good handful of tidy reps on one level, try the next lower one. ## Making them harder Once floor push-ups feel comfortable: - slow the lowering phase right down; - pause at the bottom; - bring your hands a little closer together; - put your feet up on a step. Our guide to [strength with no equipment](https://zestasy.com/wiki/no-equipment-strength/) builds a whole routine around moves like this. ## Fitting push-ups into life You don't need a training programme to enjoy push-ups. A few against the kitchen counter while the kettle boils. A couple of sets on a park bench at the end of a walk. A friendly push-up challenge with a friend or a teenager. If you also fancy hanging from a bar one day, [your first pull-up](https://zestasy.com/wiki/first-pull-up/) is the natural partner. If a push-up causes pain in your wrists, shoulders or back, stop and try a higher, easier version, or ask a physiotherapist or qualified coach for a look. ## FAQ ### How many push-ups should I be able to do? There's no number you're supposed to reach. A handful of good ones at the right level beats a pile of sloppy ones. Count your best tidy set and enjoy watching it grow. ### My wrists hurt. What can I do? Try an incline such as a counter, where less weight goes through the wrists, or hold a pair of push-up handles or dumbbells so your wrists stay straight. If pain persists, ask a professional. ### Are knee push-ups cheating? No. They're a legitimate version of the exercise. Incline push-ups on a counter or step are another good route to the floor version. ### Should I go all the way down? Go as low as you can with good form. Range improves with practice; a half push-up with a straight body is better than a full one with sagging hips. ## Related - [What strength exercises can you do at home with no equipment?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/no-equipment-strength/) - [How do you get your first pull-up?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/first-pull-up/) - [How do you start strength training if gyms intimidate you?](https://zestasy.com/movement/strength-training-if-gyms-intimidate-you/) - [How do you know how heavy to lift?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/how-heavy-to-lift/) - [What is calisthenics?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-calisthenics/) - [All Movement answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#movement)