WhatWorksWhat.
Chest

Push-up

Chest and triceps. If lower back fires, brace harder.

Complexity · Lowcalisthenicsbeginner+Bodyweight
Check Your Form
  • Abs
  • Chest
  • Chest - Middle (sternal)
  • Front delts
  • Triceps
  • Upper (clavicular)
  • Middle (sternal)
  • Lower (costal)

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Upper (clavicular)

    Not hit

    Targeted on incline pressing/flys.

  • Middle (sternal)

    Hit

    Targeted on flat pressing.

  • Lower (costal)

    Not hit

    Targeted on decline pressing and dips.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

0:14· National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

How to do a Push-Up | Proper Form & Technique | NASM

Top

Bottom

Full plank - head to heel one line. Hands under shoulders, elbows track at ~45° to your ribs. Lower the chest to the floor, press up.

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging - back-extension exercise, not a pushup.
  • Half-rep range - chest never touches the floor.

Where you should feel it

Chest and triceps. If lower back fires, brace harder.

Injury risk · 1/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains chest. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Decline push-up

    Feet elevated.

    95% on target

    On target

    Upper chest.

  • Archer push-up

    Shift weight to one arm.

    90% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Diamond push-up

    Hands together under chest.

    60% on target

    Slight shift

    Triceps-heavy.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

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  • Cobra Pose

    Lying face-down, hands under the shoulders. Press the chest up by extending the back. Hips stay on the floor. 30s. Antidote to a long day of crunches and sitting.

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  • Downward Dog

    Hands and feet on the floor, hips in the air making an inverted V. Press the heels toward the floor. Pedal the heels alternately for a stronger calf stretch. 45s.

    CalvesHamstringsLatsFront delts