Have you ever walked into a group fitness class or personal training session and thought, \u201cPlease please please don\u2019t let there be push-ups today\u201d<\/em>?<\/p>\n If the idea of a set of push-ups fills you with dread, you\u2019re not alone. Push-ups are tough! They\u2019re a skill exercise<\/em>, meaning they require upper body strength, trunk stability, range of motion, and even mobility\u2026 all at once. Just being strong or fit isn\u2019t enough \u2014 it takes time and practice to master the technique.<\/p>\n As such, many women avoid push-ups. Maybe they\u2019ve always struggled to do them, or they just don\u2019t think they\u2019re strong enough (or they\u2019ve internalized the incredibly frustrating misconception that women can\u2019t do standard push-ups, and should stick with push-ups off their knees instead!).<\/p>\n But the truth is, with proper form and some practice, almost anyone can master the push-up.<\/strong><\/p>\n In this article, I\u2019m going to show you how to build the strength and skill you need to do push-ups, step by step. In addition to discovering all of the benefits of push-ups, you\u2019ll learn:<\/p>\n Plus, I\u2019ve included a 12-week training program<\/a> that shows you exactly how to program these four exercises so you can achieve your push-up goal!<\/p>\n The push-up is an effective bodyweight exercise whether your goal is getting stronger<\/a>, building muscle<\/a>, or improving overall fitness<\/a>. A horizontal pressing exercise, push-ups primarily work the chest (pectorals), triceps, deltoids, and core, but require some assistance from the glutes and leg muscles, too.<\/p>\n Learning to perform push-ups creates a unique opportunity for you to:<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve seen why push-ups are a great exercise to incorporate in your training, let\u2019s look at an important alignment tip to help you perform the standard push-up \u2014 as well as all the push-up progressions I\u2019m going to cover shortly \u2014 safely, effectively, and with proper technique.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re performing a regular push-up or a modified variation, being mindful of your form and alignment is important.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the trick: Think of placing a broomstick down your back.<\/p>\n As you get into your starting position and then perform your push-up, that imaginary broomstick should maintain contact with your body in three places:<\/p>\n Maintaining a straight line with your body \u2014 and engaging your entire core throughout the rep \u2014 will allow you to move smoothly as one solid unit, which can help your push-up (or push-up variation) feel less challenging and protect your lower back<\/a>.<\/p>\n Quick tip: Some folks find it helpful to video themselves from the side so they can check their alignment and make any necessary adjustments.<\/p>\n Keep your imaginary broomstick in mind as you work on each of the following push-up progressions.<\/p>\n (Interested in training one-on-one with a GGS coach? Consider enrolling in our GGS Coaching program<\/a> and becoming the strongest, fittest, most confident YOU from the inside out.)<\/span><\/p>\n The key to learning push-ups is to break the movement down into small, doable exercises. As you practice these progressions, you\u2019re developing the strength and skill required to be able to perform the full push-up.<\/p>\n Depending on your fitness level, you can work these progressions into your training one of two ways:<\/strong><\/p>\n If you\u2019re tacking these progressions onto a workout (rather than practicing them as standalone movements outside of your training sessions), you may find it helpful to do push-up work right after your warm-up so you\u2019re not fatigued. Either way, always be sure to thoroughly warm up<\/a> first.<\/p>\n A final quick note before we get started: You\u2019ll notice that push-ups from the knees, otherwise known as short-lever push-ups, are not one of the progression exercises. Short-lever push-ups are an amazing exercise to target your pecs, deltoids, and triceps. However, they\u2019re often not the most effective way to progress to a full \u201clong-lever\u201d push-up (on the toes with legs extended). This is because bringing your knees to the ground significantly shortens the lever, requiring far less upper body and core strength, which are two things that need to be developed in order to perform long-lever push-ups. Additionally, an important part of push-up practice is patterning the movement properly, which is precisely what you\u2019ll be doing by working on variations that are also performed on your toes.<\/p>\n The high plank hold is incredibly important to practice when working toward a push-up, yet it\u2019s almost always overlooked. It might help to think of the high plank hold as the foundation of the movement, as it\u2019s the starting point (and ending point!) of each push-up. Plus you\u2019ll get the added benefit of strengthening your core<\/a> while you\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n If a high plank hold on the ground is too challenging, feel free to place your hands on something elevated, such as a bench or a countertop. Place your hands as high as needed until you\u2019re able to perform several reps while maintaining proper alignment.<\/p>\n\n
What Are the Benefits of Push-Ups?<\/h2>\n
\n
Alignment and the Proper Push-Up Position<\/h2>\n
\n
![\"Jen](\"https:\/\/www.girlsgonestrong.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Push-up-proper-form-start-position-final.jpg)
![\"Jen](\"https:\/\/www.girlsgonestrong.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Push-up-proper-form-bottom-position-final.jpg)
4 Progressions to Help You Achieve Your First Full Push-Up<\/h2>\n
\n
Progression #1: High Plank Hold<\/h2>\n
How to Perform a High Plank Hold<\/h3>\n
\n