If you can't do a push-up yet, start with an incline version. Put your hands on a bench, counter or sturdy table and lower your chest toward it. The higher the surface, the easier it is. Lower the incline over a few weeks and you will be on the floor before you know it.
Add push-ups to the 4-week restart plan, three sessions a week.
Why can't you do a push-up?
Because it is hard. A push-up asks your chest, shoulders, arms and core to hold you up like a plank while moving. If you haven't trained in a while, that is a lot of bodyweight to push. It is not a sign you are weak, it is a sign you are normal.
The good news is that push-ups are easy to scale, and progress comes quickly.
What is the progression?
Work your way down the ladder, spending a week or two at each step:
- Wall push-up. Standing, hands on the wall. Great for the very first week.
- High incline. Hands on a kitchen counter.
- Lower incline. Hands on a sturdy bench or couch arm.
- Knee push-up or negatives. Lower yourself slowly from the top and drop to your knees to come up.
- Full push-up. Body in a straight line, chest to the floor.
Do 2 or 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps at whichever step is hard but doable.
How do you do one with good form?
Keep it simple:
- Hands under your shoulders, slightly wider.
- Body in a straight line. Squeeze your glutes and brace your stomach.
- Elbows at about 45 degrees, not flared like a chicken.
- Chest toward the floor, then push away.
- Breathe. Down on the inhale, up on the exhale. Hold your breath and you will go purple.
If your hips sag or your lower back hurts, go back to an easier step. Ugly reps don't count. They just hurt.
How often should you practice?
Two or three times a week, with a rest day in between. Add one rep or one set every session, or drop the incline a notch each week. When all your sets feel easy, you are ready for the next step. See how many reps and sets beginners need.
What if your wrists hurt?
Try push-up handles, dumbbells you grip as handles or fists on the floor. Adjust your hand position. If the pain is sharp or won't go away, stop and get it checked. Dull effort is fine. Sharp pain isn't.
How many push-ups should a man be able to do?
Nobody has the official number, but being able to do 10 clean reps is a decent early target. Then 20. Then you can be that man at the barbecue. More important is how much stronger you are than last month. Track it in your log. Here is how to track progress without a scale.
The bottom line
Start on an incline, lower it gradually and add reps slowly. In a few weeks you will do a floor push-up and feel absurdly proud. That is allowed. Start the restart plan and add this to your routine.
Drop and give us one, FATBOY. On the counter, if you must.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a shoulder, wrist or heart condition, check with your doctor first.
- push-ups
- bodyweight