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A press up, or push up, is a common strength training exercise performed while lying horizontal and face down, raising and lowering the body using the arms.

Description and variations

In the full press up, the back and legs are straight and off the floor. Several variations are seen, besides the common push up. These include bringing the thumbs and index fingers of both hands together (a diamond pushup) as well as having the elbows point towards the knees. These two variations are intended to put greater emphasis on the tricep muscles rather than the shoulder and chest muscles. When both hands are unbalanced or on uneven surfaces, this exercise also works the body core.

For increased difficulty, press ups can be performed on one arm and/or using only four digits or less.

There are some less difficult versions, which reduce the effort by supporting some of the body weight in some way. For example "Wall press ups" are performed by standing close to a wall and pushing away from the wall with the arms. "Three-quarter" press ups are performed by supporting the lower body on the knees not the toes. Three-quarter press ups are often used in women's fitness programmes.

There are also a number of plyometric versions of the press up that can be performed.

• The aim of the 'clap press up' is to explosively push the body into the air for enough time to clap the hands together, then bring them back into position to cushion the fall.
• In another type of plyometric press up, the drop push, two platforms are placed on either side of the trainee. The exercise begins with the hands on either platform supporting the body, then the subject drops to the ground and explosively rebounds with a push up, extending the torso and arms completely off the ground and returning the hands to the platforms.
• One of the most difficult forms of the push up is to support the entire body on only the tips of the fingers and thumb. Known by some as "marine-style", this form can cause excessive pain and can lead to permanent damage if performed to excess.
• Beginners can also do press ups against a wall. To increase the difficulty move your feet further from the wall; as you progress, move on to the standard press up.

Press ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or PE and, especially, in military physical training.

They are also rather commonly used as a fitness test or as a mild (somewhat embarrassing) physical punishment on the spot, to show off physically (e.g. macho) or as demonstration of submission (e.g. in hazing; sometimes abusive).

• In a competitive or disciplinary context especially, it is not rare to use 'nastier' variations, e.g. in mud, snow or dirt, divested, and/or to make it physically harder, as by putting one's foot or a weight on the performer's back (possibly with sanctions if equilibrium is lost, such as spilling a glass) or to do the exercise resting on the knuckles or not use all fingers (not counting the thumb).

Benefits

• Develops the pectoral muscles and triceps, with ancillary benefits to the deltoids.

Men's Fitness Levels

Civilians

See

United States Army

See

United States Navy

Women's Fitness Levels

Civilians

See Note: these are performed from the knees.

United States Army

See

See also

• Sit-up
• Bench press
• Calisthenics
• Jumping Jack
• Handstand pushup

External links

• Illustrations of how to do proper push ups
• Press Ups Guide and one minute press up test.
• Descriptions and pictures of press ups and variations
• World records

• Weight training exercises