Push Up

How to do it

1. Set up in a high-plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width and arms locked.
2. Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
3. Lower your chest slowly toward the floor over 2 to 3 seconds, keeping the elbows at about 45 degrees.
4. Stop when your chest hovers just above the floor, holding the bottom briefly with full body tension.
5. Press back up by driving the floor away through the palms until the arms reach full extension.
6. Reset your breath and repeat for the full set, keeping the body line tight on every rep.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which removes the core demand and strains the lower back.
• Letting the elbows flare to 90 degrees, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
• Cutting the depth short and only pressing the top half of the rep instead of touching the chest down.
• Letting the head poke forward instead of keeping the neck in line with the spine.