Move · Videos · Technique · 4 min

How to Do a Perfect Push-Up

How to Do a Perfect Push-Up — video by Calisthenicmovement Play · 3:37

Video by Calisthenicmovement on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A short breakdown of the four things that make a push-up clean: body position, hand and elbow placement, full range of motion and shoulder blade control. Good for anyone who already does push-ups and wants better form.

  • 4 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 5

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Body position: tilt your pelvis back and squeeze your glutes so your body stays in one straight line. 0:29
  2. Hand position: wrists roughly under your shoulders; a wider grip works the chest more, a narrow one the triceps. 0:57
  3. Keep your elbows pointing back, not flared out to the sides, to spare your shoulders. 1:42
  4. Full range: lower all the way down and press all the way up without dropping your head or hips. 2:03
  5. Shoulder blades: let them draw together as you lower and spread as you press, keeping them down. 2:20

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Tuck the pelvis and squeeze your glutes so the back doesn't sag
  • Hands roughly under the shoulders; keep elbows angled back, never flared out
  • Go all the way down and up while letting the shoulder blades move with control

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 3 takes load

  • Shoulders takes loadpush-ups with active shoulder blades
  • Elbows takes loadpush-ups, full range down and up
  • Wrists & hands takes loadpush-ups, hands under the shoulders
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by Calisthenicmovement; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety