The push-up is the most accessible chest exercise — no equipment required. It builds the chest, shoulders, and triceps while also training core stability, making it a complete upper-body movement.
Muscles worked
Primary: Pectoralis major.
Secondary: Triceps, Anterior deltoids, Core.
Equipment: Bodyweight · Difficulty: Beginner.
How to do the push-up
- Start in a plank with hands slightly wider than shoulder width and body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to keep your hips from sagging.
- Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows to about a 45-degree angle from your torso.
- Stop when your chest is just above the floor.
- Press back up to full arm extension. That is one rep.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Letting the hips sag or pike up — keep a rigid straight line.
- Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides (90 degrees), which stresses the shoulders.
- Doing half reps. Lower until the chest nearly touches for full range.
Track it automatically with Spotwell
Stop losing count mid-set. Spotwell's AI rep counter uses your iPhone camera to count push-up reps automatically — no wearable required — and logs your sets so you can focus on form and progressive overload. See how AI rep counting works →