Push-Up

Muscles worked by the Push-Up

Primary

ChestPectoralis MajorTricepsTriceps Brachii

Secondary

Front DeltsAnterior Deltoid

Also called: pec, pecs, pectoralis major, pectoralis, chest muscles, tricep.

Equipment

No equipment — this is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do the Push-Up

1. Start in a high plank position with hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.
3. Push back up to the starting position.
4. Keep your body in a straight line throughout.
5. Repeat.

Form tips

• Tuck your elbows toward your body rather than flaring them out wide.
• Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to prevent sagging hips.
• Keep your neck neutral by gazing slightly ahead of your hands.

At a glance

Push-Up in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Archer Push Ups
• Clap Push-Ups
• Close Grip Push Ups
• Decline Push-Up
• Deficit Push Ups
• Diamond Push Ups
• Handstand Push Ups
• Incline Push-Up

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "push-up",
  "name_en": "Push-Up",
  "name_de": "Push-Up",
  "name_es": "Push-Up",
  "description_en": "A fundamental bodyweight exercise for the chest, shoulders, and triceps.",
  "description_de": "Eine grundlegende Körpergewichtsübung für Brust, Schultern und Trizeps.",
  "description_es": "Un ejercicio fundamental con el peso corporal para el pecho, los hombros y los tríceps.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "push",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "beginner",
  "body_part": "chest",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "pectoralis_major",
    "triceps_brachii"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "anterior_deltoid"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "hypertrophy",
    "endurance"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "push_day",
    "calisthenics",
    "knee_safe",
    "no_axial_load",
    "lower_back_safe",
    "shoulder_safe"
  ],
  "variation_group": "push-up",
  "is_unilateral": false,
  "is_bodyweight": true,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Start in a high plank position with hands shoulder-width apart.",
    "Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.",
    "Push back up to the starting position.",
    "Keep your body in a straight line throughout.",
    "Repeat."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Beginne in der hohen Plank-Position, Hände schulterbreit.",
    "Senke deinen Körper, bis die Brust fast den Boden berührt.",
    "Drücke dich zurück in die Ausgangsposition.",
    "Halte deinen Körper die ganze Zeit in einer geraden Linie.",
    "Wiederhole."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Comienza en posición de plancha alta con las manos a la anchura de los hombros.",
    "Baja el cuerpo hasta que el pecho casi toque el suelo.",
    "Empuja hacia arriba hasta la posición inicial.",
    "Mantén el cuerpo en línea recta en todo momento.",
    "Repite."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Tuck your elbows toward your body rather than flaring them out wide.",
    "Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to prevent sagging hips.",
    "Keep your neck neutral by gazing slightly ahead of your hands."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Spanne Bauch und Gesäß an, damit die Hüfte nicht durchhängt.",
    "Lass die Ellbogen nicht weit nach außen wandern.",
    "Halte den Nacken neutral und schaue zum Boden."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Aprieta el abdomen y los glúteos para evitar que la cadera caiga.",
    "No abras los codos en exceso; mantenlos cerca del torso.",
    "Mantén el cuello neutro mirando al suelo."
  ],
  "met": 5.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/push-up-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/push-up-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "push-up");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.