Mar 10, 2025

Aarushi Bhadury

10 Exercises To Help You Do Push-Ups Properly

​Chest Press (with Dumbbells)​

Lie on a bench and press dumbbells upwards, targeting chest muscles. Use controlled movements and proper form. This exercise directly strengthens the prime movers involved in a standard push up.

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​Incline Push-Ups​

Place hands on an elevated surface, decreasing the resistance. This modification allows for controlled movement, building chest and triceps strength. Progress to lower surfaces as strength improves, gradually increasing difficulty.

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​Knee Push-Ups​

Perform push-ups on your knees, reducing the weight load. Maintain a straight line from knees to shoulders, focusing on proper form. This variation helps build upper body strength before attempting full push-ups.

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​Negative Push-Ups​

Slowly lower your chest towards the floor, emphasizing the eccentric phase. Use knees to return to the starting position. This builds strength in the lowering phase, crucial for full push-ups. Control the descent.

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​Pike Push-Ups​

Form an inverted V-shape, and lower your head towards the floor. This targets the shoulder muscles, and is a good way to build shoulder strength. This is a progression towards handstand pushups.

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​Plank Holds​

Engage your core by bracing your abs, maintaining a straight line from head to heels. Hold for increasing durations, focusing on stability and preventing hip sagging. Strengthens core stability, vital for push-up form.

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​Scapular Push-ups​

In a push-up position, move your shoulder blades together and apart. This exercise focuses on scapular control, improving shoulder stability. This is very important for proper push up form, and shoulder health.

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​Shoulder Taps​

In a plank position, alternate tapping each shoulder. This exercise improves core stability and shoulder strength. Focus on minimizing torso rotation. This helps with the stability required for pushups.

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​Triceps Dips​

Lower your body by bending your elbows, targeting triceps strength. Use a bench or dip bars. Maintain control throughout the movement, ensuring full range of motion. This isolates the triceps.

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​Wall Push-Ups​

Stand facing a wall, and perform push-ups against it. This is a very beginner friendly exercise. This allows someone with very low upper body strength to begin to build that strength.

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