How to Do the Pushups
Beginner chest exercise — bodyweight.
The Pushups is a beginner-level chest exercise that works several muscles together, led by the chest, using no equipment. As a compound movement it lets you handle heavier loads and trains coordination across multiple joints, which makes it a strong anchor for a training day. You can do it at home or while travelling — no gym required — which makes it easy to keep in your routine consistently.
Exercise details
- Muscle group
- Chest
- Primary muscle
- Chest
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound
How to perform it
- 1Lie on the floor face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart while holding your torso up at arms length.
- 2Next, lower yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
- 3Now breathe out and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest.
- 4After a brief pause at the top contracted position, you can begin to lower yourself downward again for as many repetitions as needed.
How to program the Pushups
- Do the Pushups early in your session while you're fresh — compound lifts deserve your best energy.
- Warm up with one or two lighter sets before your working sets to prime the movement.
- As a compound lift, 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps builds strength, while 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps favours muscle growth. Rest 90–180 seconds between sets so you can move quality load.
- To progress, add reps, slow the lowering phase, or move to a harder variation once the current version feels easy.
Pushups alternatives
No space? These train the same chest, grouped by what you have available.
Dumbbell or kettlebell
Barbell
Easier and harder variations
The Pushups is rated beginner. Regress while you build the pattern, progress once it feels easy.
Harder — progress from it
What to pair it with
For a balanced session, pair the Pushups with a move for the opposing muscles — the Archer Pull Up (lats) or the Chin-Up (lats). Alternating the two as a superset saves time, because one side rests while the other works.
Where it fits in your weekly plan
When the free routine generator builds your week, the Pushups can land on:
- Full Body days — in 1–2 days a week plans
- Push days — in 3, 5 or 6 days a week plans
- Upper Body days — in 4 or 5 days a week plans
Included when your equipment is set to: No equipment, Dumbbells, Full gym.
Free tools for this exercise
Put it in your plan
SSS Workout Assistant builds a custom weekly routine around your goals and adds moves like the Pushups automatically — then tracks every set.
Build my free planFrequently asked questions
What muscles does the Pushups work?
The Pushups primarily targets the chest within the chest muscle group, and recruits several supporting muscles as a compound movement.
What equipment do I need for the Pushups?
None — the Pushups is a bodyweight exercise you can do anywhere, no gym required.
Is the Pushups a compound or isolation exercise?
The Pushups is a compound exercise, working multiple joints and muscle groups at once. It's well suited to beginner trainees.
How many sets and reps of the Pushups should I do?
As a compound lift, 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps builds strength, while 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps favours muscle growth. Rest 90–180 seconds between sets so you can move quality load.
Is the Pushups good for beginners?
Yes — the Pushups is beginner-friendly. Start light, focus on clean technique, and add difficulty gradually as it becomes comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Pushups?
Good substitutes that train the same chest include the Archer Push-Up (bodyweight), the Chest Dip (bodyweight), the Dumbbell Bench Press (dumbbell). Pick the one that matches the equipment you have.
Can I do the Pushups at home?
Yes — it needs no equipment, so it works at home, in a hotel room, or anywhere you have a bit of space.
