You've probably been told that push ups are the "gold standard" of bodyweight exercise. That's kinda true, but honestly, most people are doing them in a way that’s either totally ineffective or just plain dangerous for their shoulders. If you’re looking into how to do a push up for beginners, you're likely starting from zero or maybe you've tried a few reps and felt a weird pinch in your neck. That’s normal.
Most fitness "influencers" make it look easy because they've been doing it for a decade, but for a true beginner, a standard floor push up is actually a high-level strength move. Think about it. You're essentially bench pressing about 65% to 70% of your total body weight. If you weigh 180 pounds, that’s like trying to press 125 pounds on your first day at the gym.
No wonder it feels impossible.
The Secret Isn't Strength—It's Physics
Before we even talk about your arms, we have to talk about your spine. A push up is just a moving plank. If your butt is sagging or your hips are hiked up like a mountain, you aren't actually doing the move. You’re just flopping.
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) often points out that core stability is the primary failure point for most people. When your core gives out, your lower back takes the hit. You need to squeeze your glutes. Hard. Imagine you’re trying to hold a quarter between your butt cheeks while someone tries to take it. That tension stabilizes your pelvis and keeps your spine in a "hollow body" position, which is the safest way to move.
Finding Your Starting Point: Forget the Floor
Stop trying to do them on the floor today. Seriously. If you can't do five perfect reps with your chest touching the ground and your elbows tucked, you need an incline.
Find a kitchen counter. Or a sturdy table. Even a wall works if you’re just starting out. The higher the surface, the "lighter" your body becomes. This is basic mechanical advantage. By changing the angle, you reduce the percentage of body weight your chest and triceps have to move. This allows you to focus on form without your muscles screaming in agony after two seconds.
The Incline Progression
- Wall Push Ups: Great for absolute beginners or those recovering from injury.
- Countertop Push Ups: This is usually the "sweet spot" for most people.
- Bench or Couch Push Ups: Once the counter feels easy, move lower.
- Floor (Knee) Push Ups: These are okay, but they often don't translate well to full push ups because they skip the core engagement part.
- Full Floor Push Ups: The final boss.
Your Elbows Are Killing Your Shoulders
If you take one thing away from this, let it be the "Arrow, not a T" rule. When beginners drop down, they often flare their elbows out to the sides. From a bird's eye view, their body looks like a capital letter T.
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This is bad. Very bad.
Flaring your elbows puts immense pressure on the subacromial space in your shoulder, which can lead to impingement or rotator cuff tears over time. Instead, tuck your elbows in so they're at about a 45-degree angle from your torso. Your body should look like an arrow. This engages the triceps more and keeps the shoulder joint in a much more natural, "packed" position.
Hand Placement and the "Screw" Technique
Where do your hands go? Most people just slap them down.
Instead, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Here is the pro tip: once your hands are on the surface, try to "screw" them into the floor. Your right hand turns clockwise and your left hand turns counter-clockwise, even though they don't actually move. This creates external rotation in the humerus. You’ll feel your lats (the big muscles under your armpits) engage immediately.
A stable shoulder is a strong shoulder. If your lats are "on," your push up will feel twice as stable.
Common Mistakes That Ruin Your Progress
People love to cheat. It's human nature. But "ego reps" don't build muscle; they just build bad habits.
The Chicken Neck: This is when you reach for the floor with your chin instead of your chest. Your neck drops down, making you feel like you're going deeper than you actually are. Keep your gaze about six inches in front of your fingertips. Your spine should be a straight line from your heels to the back of your head.
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The Half-Rep Hustle: If you only go down two inches, you aren't getting the chest stretch needed for growth. It is better to do three reps where your chest actually touches the surface than ten reps of "pulsing" in the air.
The Breath Hold: People forget to breathe. Then they get lightheaded. Always exhale on the way up—the "exertion" phase. Inhale as you lower yourself down.
A Sample Routine for True Beginners
You don't need to do 100 push ups. In fact, doing too many too soon is a great way to get tendonitis in your elbows.
Start with three sets of whatever incline allows you to do 8 to 10 clean reps. If you can do 12 reps easily, lower the incline. If you can't hit 5, raise the incline. Do this three times a week. Recovery is just as important as the workout itself because muscle fibers need time to repair.
Why Consistency Beats Intensity
Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research suggests that volume over time is the biggest driver of hypertrophy and strength. It doesn't matter if you do "beast mode" once a week if you’re sedentary the other six days.
The Mental Game
Push ups are frustrating. One day you feel strong, the next day your arms feel like noodles. That’s part of the process. The "beginner" phase is mostly about your brain learning how to fire the right muscles in the right order. This is called neuromuscular adaptation.
Basically, your brain is rewiring itself to move your body more efficiently.
Once you master how to do a push up for beginners, the rest of fitness starts to unlock. The strength translates to bench presses, overhead presses, and even sports like swimming or climbing. It is the foundation of everything else.
Actionable Next Steps
- Test your level: Try one push up against a wall. If it’s too easy, try a sturdy table. Find the height where you can do 8 reps but the 9th would be tough.
- Film yourself: Use your phone to record one set from the side. You will be shocked at how much your hips sag or your neck drops compared to what you thought you were doing.
- Set a "Low Bar" goal: Commit to doing 10 incline push ups every single morning before you hop in the shower. It takes 30 seconds, and the frequency will build the habit faster than a 1-hour gym session once a week.
- Focus on the "Down": If you can't push yourself back up yet, just focus on the lowering phase (eccentrics). Take 3 full seconds to lower yourself to the floor, then use your knees to get back up. This builds strength incredibly fast.