Push-ups: It’s the oldest chest exercise in the world, with historians claiming it has been around for millennia and was even part of military training in ancient India. Many people love it, and there’s good reason for it; but have you been doing push-ups wrong all this time?

Maybe yes, maybe not… Either way, it’s always a good idea to learn exactly how to make the perfect push-up! 

In this short guide to push-ups, we will tell you how to do push-ups, consider some common myths about them and risks to avoid, and round-up things by exploring the benefits of this all-time classic.

How to perform the Push-Ups (Video):

4 Simple Rules for the Perfect Push-Up

The good news? Pulling off the perfect push-up is not that hard. It’s all about paying attention to the little things amateurs always seem to miss. Here are 2 simple rules to keep you on the right track:

1. It’s all in the hands: Correct hand positioning is one of the vital elements of the perfect push-up. Ideally, your hands should be placed moderately wider than shoulder-width apart, with your fingers spread wide for added stability.
2. No back-arching: This one’s pretty obvious, but essential nevertheless. Your entire back should be as straight as possible while you perform push-ups, without any arching or sagging of the hips. If you’re experiencing trouble with this, you should consider working on your core! We have a free abs program that can help you.

The third, unwritten rule? Breathe! Ideally, inhale as you lower yourself and exhale as you push back up. Alternatively, you can inhale at the top, hold your breath through the movement to create core stability, and exhale once you’re back at the top. Repeat this breathing pattern for each rep to maintain control and maximize performance.

Clarifying 3 Push-Up Myths

Even though push-ups are one of the oldest chest exercises around and are even demonstrated by the Australian Army on their own page, there are a few common myths about them that need to be addressed.

(How to Improve Push-Ups, The Cove)

For now, let’s take a look at three of the most popular:

“Push-ups are easy”

Thinking any physical exercise is “easy” or “hard” is a common mistake. In reality, exercises (push-ups included) are only as easy and hard as you want them to. But can push-ups be that hard if they only require body weight?

Yes, they can! Sure, making 50 traditional push-ups a day gets old pretty soon, but adding more reps to your sets, increasing difficulty with household equipment like a bench, and exploring push-up variations can make everything much more interesting… And harder.

As for the most challenging push-up variations, here are three suggestions:

• One-arm push-up: Your everyday push-up, but with one arm secured behind your back—not so easy anymore, is it?
• Archer push-up: Requires keeping one arm straight while lowering the other arm and side of the body, performing an archer-like movement (don’t forget to place your arms a little bit wider than normal);
• Clapping push-up: You know the one! Since you have to clap in between push-ups, a lot more power and speed are required, making the movement more challenging.

“More Reps is Always Better”

More reps are only better if you’re doing push-ups correctly. Doing 100 push-ups very fast is a rookie’s mistake, and pros know 50 right push-ups are better than 100 flawed ones.

“Push-ups are only for the chest”

While push-ups are often seen as a chest exercise, they actually work much more than that. Push-ups are a compound upper-body movement that also targets the triceps, shoulders (deltoids), core, and even the glutes—making them a great challenge when performed with proper form.

The Incredible Benefits of Push-Ups!

The amazing benefits of push-ups include:

• Improved upper body strength
• Improved abdominal and lower back strength
• Increased overall functional strength