If you can do knee push-ups but the floor still feels impossible…that’s totally normal!
You’re at the hardest jump in the progression ladder.
Here’s how to break through: work in the 5 to 10 rep range, add a rep a week, and only move up once 10 reps feel strong.
Not there yet? Add another set, add reps, or add a pause at the bottom of each rep, and try again in a few weeks.
(For the full wall-to-floor plan, see The Push-Up Progression Plan.) Below: the ladder, the level-up rule in detail, and one form cue that unlocks pushups for most people, and how to fit it into your week.
Push-ups are rad.
Like, legitimately. I get excited just talking about it. 😅
But if you’ve struggled to conquer the push-up, you may see them in your workout and think, “Ugh.”
It doesn’t feel good to keep doing an exercise that makes you feel weak or awkward!
And that’s exactly how a reader was feeling recently when they emailed me:
“How do I finally get my first push-up!? I feel like T-rex when I try to do them.”
Don’t worry, I’ve got you! 🙌
Let me be your guide and make a case for the humble push-up as an absolute S-Tier exercise – and how to progress them so you can bust out a few push-ups whenever you want!
Are push-ups the best exercise?
Hear me out:
✅ They adapt to nearly any strength or ability level. There’s a push-up variation that most folks can do right now, today, no matter where you’re starting.
✅ They go anywhere. No gym membership. No equipment.
✅ They work multiple muscles at the same time. Chest, triceps, shoulders. Plus, you get some isometric work for your core, glutes, and quads.
✅ They squeeze into real life. A couple off the countertop after you brush your teeth. A few while the coffee brews. One or two on the floor before you queue up Netflix. They all add up.
That last one matters a lot. During busy seasons, fitness is often one of the first things that gets dropped. The push-up is one of the best “everything is crazy but I can still squeeze this in” movements I know.
We often use them in our coaching program as a Next Available Win to get right back on track.
So let’s walk through exactly how to get started with what we lovingly call “earth downs” – and how to make steady progress towards that first full push-up. 💪
Step 1: Pick Your Progression
This is the basic ladder, from easiest to hardest.
- Wall push-ups
- Countertop push-ups
- Elevated push-ups (hands on a lower surface – a couch, a chair, a bench, the stairs, etc.)
- Knee Push-ups
- Floor Push-ups
Pick the rung where you can do 5 controlled reps to start.
Some people will tell you “if it isn’t from the floor, it doesn’t count.” Those people are wrong. And probably woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. All these progressions count as push-ups. 🔥
As evidence, right out of college, I had just moved to Japan. I was by myself, in a totally new place, and within the first week of being there I severely sprained my ankle. I couldn’t walk right for MONTHS.
Knee push-ups were one of my only options for strength training, and I got really heckin’ strong doing them. You’re pressing basically 50% of your bodyweight! That’s cool!
Step 2: Know When to Level Up
Here’s a simple system you can use.
Work in the 5-10 rep range. Each week, see if you can add one rep.
Once you can do 10 reps and feel super strong doing them -> try the next progression on the ladder.
Not quite there yet? No problem. Go back to your current rung and:
- Add another set, or
- Add a few more reps (up above 10), or
- Add a pause at the bottom of each rep (the bottom is where most people get stuck, so building strength there pays off big.)
Then try the next rung again in a few weeks.
Step 3: Dial in Your Technique
Quick form check: from above, your body should look like an arrow – upper arms at roughly 45 degrees from your torso – not a T with elbows flared straight out to the sides.
This puts you in a better position to push from!
I actually filmed a short video about this exact thing. Two of my coaching clients were stuck moving from knee push-ups to full push-ups, and one cue helped them get unstuck. I think it’ll help you too (and might change how you think about push-ups):
Step 4: Programming
If you’re working towards you’re first push-up, I love 2-3 workouts per week where the push-up (or an equivalent movement like the Bench Press) is featured near the beginning of your session for 2-5 sets. So you’re getting at least 5-10 total sets per week of your current progression (that “challenging but strong” feeling.)
And in between? Sprinkle in skill drills: a few reps here and there throughout the day, not pushed to exhaustion. The goal is to practice the technique and feel strong and confident doing it.
(This is exactly the countertop-while-the-coffee-brews move. Your secret weapon.)
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You’re rad. Push-ups are rad. Let’s get you that first one.
You got this. 💪
-Matt
Here are a couple of other ways we can help:
1) Snag our full push-up guide, including a dedicated push-up workout HERE.
2) We’ve helped thousands of nerds build confidence in their fitness. 🔥 This video shows the exact systems we use.
