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But you wont get the full-body benefits if youre not using correct push-up form.

Ready to reap all of thesepush-up benefits?

Which muscles do push-ups work?

woman sweating in the gym

trainer and human performance specialist with Memorial Hermann’sRockets Sports Medicine Institute

Many people only think about the push-up working the arms, but it strengthens your whole body.

you’re able to focus on different muscles by switching up your hand placement during the push-up.

Here are five reasons why this exercise should be at the top of your list.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

It builds strength and tones the muscles in your arms, shoulders, and core.

This leads us to the next benefit….

4.

This is especially important as you get older.

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trainer and human performance specialist with Memorial Hermann’sRockets Sports Medicine Institute

you’ve got the option to also easily modify push-ups, making them more accessible or more difficult.

4 push-up variations to try

1.

Mendez recommends the incline push-up.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

This move will strengthen your shoulders and pecs more than a traditional push-up.

(If you want to focus on your biceps, try thepseudo planche push-up).

verify you are keeping your trunk stable bycontracting your absthroughout the entire motion.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Diamond push-up

The narrow hand placement of the diamond push-upworks your tricepsmuch more than a standard push-up.

If youre ready to focus on your arm strength, give this variation a try.

Here are the four most common push-up form mistakesand how to fix them.

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FAQ

How many push-ups should you do a day?

For specific numbers, theAmerican College of Sports Medicinehas a fitness self-assessment chart that is broken down by age.

For a man within the same age range, doing more than 44 push-ups is excellent.

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Is it better to do push-ups fast or slow?

It depends on your goal.

If you want more of a cardio or aerobic exercise, you might speed it up.

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Regardless of speed, double-check you keep your form intact.

Yang JChristophi CAFarioli A, et al.

doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341

Villareal, Dennis T et al.

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Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, in Dieting Obese Older Adults.The New England journal of medicinevol.

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