Can't Do a Push-Up Yet? Start Here (Wall → Incline → Floor)

If you've never been able to do a single push-up, or if the thought of trying one makes your stomach twist with doubt, you're not alone, and you're definitely not "too weak" to change that. Whatever's holding you back right now, the good news is you don't need to jump straight into a full push-up. You can start exactly at the level where you are currently.

In this guide, we're going to go over all 5 progressive techniques to do push-ups on the wall, incline, negative push-ups, and finally, full push-ups. We'll also touch on common mistakes, the best form, when to progress and answer many questions that beginners have. So get ready to master push-ups at your own pace!

Why Push-Ups Feel Impossible at First

Beginners often struggle to do pushups regularly because they will be lifting over 50% of their body weight and target multiple muscle groups, as they may be fit in some areas, but weak in others. However, we can make progress by taking small steps toward mastering regular pushups!

5-Level Beginner Push-Up Progression

Unlock the Push-Up Progression Programme and save it to your phone.

Level 1: Wall Push-Ups

Face a wall and put your hands on the wall. Keep your elbows bent as you keep your legs straight and have your arms extended straight ahead of you. To reach your original stance again, you must bend your elbows to the point of not being able to return to where you came from. The next step is to lower yourself toward the wall by bending your elbows while tightening your abs and glutes to ensure your body stays in one long line as it moves toward the wall in preparation to hold that position against the wall.

 

Form Tips

When first starting to learn wall push-ups, visualizing your body as "one long line from head to toe" is an excellent tool. You will want to maintain this line as straight as possible and to have your neck and head in a "neutral" and comfortable position. Your elbows should be in a close position when bending your arms. The overall shape of your body should resemble a broomstick that does not curve or flex during the movement.

Ready to Level Up When

When you're first starting out, try to do three groups of fifteen times each, while focusing on keeping good form. Try not to take more than sixty seconds off between every group because then you're ready for level two. Alternatively, you can do the same thing but at a different level of incline so that it's a little harder, then you'll be well prepared for that next level before moving on!

Common Mistakes

• Standing too close or only bending your elbows a tiny bit. To avoid this, make sure you step back and get a full range of motion, as your face/chest should nearly touch the wall each rep.

• Relaxing your core can be harmful. Do not arch your lower back or stick your butt out, and keep your body straight & aligned (like a broomstick). Tightening your glutes may help you stay aligned.

• Pointing your elbows outward may cause you fatigue and/or pain. Try to focus on keeping your elbows tucked further in if you experience this.

Level 2: Incline Push-Ups

Incline pushups make it easy to gradually get from the wall to the floor when moving from an upright to a more horizontal body position. Since the upper body will be forced to use greater amounts of weight, this puts more emphasis on developing strength in the upper body, while allowing more than enough opportunity to perform an effective increase in the difficulty level.

Start in a plank position with hands on an elevated surface and your feet on the floor. Next, lower yourself into a pushup by bending both elbows at a 45-degree angle so that they come near the side of the body as you are lowering down to the floor and then come back up. Keep tight throughout your abs and glutes in order to keep your hips from drooping or sagging.

Form Tips

As you move downwards, make sure you keep your wrists and shoulders aligned and in a neutral position. Your hands should be positioned comfortably, whether you are resting them on the surface or on push-up bars. When lowering yourself, look along an angle down to the ground and maintain an approximate angle of 45° with your leading arms bent at your elbows.

Ready to Level Up When

Try to perform three sets of 10-15 incline push-ups on a surface that is comfortable for you. Take 1-2 minutes to rest in between each set to ensure you can perform all repetitions with proper form and technique during each set. You may find you have to do more repetitions than when starting out until you can complete all repetitions with no fewer than three sets of 12-15 repetitions each without resting until you've done them all during many sets at greater than the amount of incline than when you first started.

Common Mistakes

• Using a too wobbly or high surface can make you slide or feel unstable. Avoid something that's too high, which is essentially a wall push-up. Instead, challenge yourself with a lower surface when capable.

• Only doing half reps leads to ineffective training. Aim to lower your chest all the way to the surface each time, or as close as you can without feeling pain.

• Hips can sag or rise for new athletes can be frustrating. Make sure you're using your core and glute muscles. If you cannot maintain a flat body, do some plank holds to build core stability or raise the incline a little at a time until your form is solid.

Level 3: Lower Incline Push-Ups 

You should perform the exercise the same way as level 2, but now you will be on a lower surface. You will and should put your hands at shoulder height, on the edge of either a bench or a step, and walk your feet back to your body, keeping it straight. 

Select a starting height that allows you to do whatever number of reps you are attempting to reach in perfect form. As you need to move to the next step for resistance, you gradually lower your hands to a steeper incline. As you lower your body toward the bench, keep control while lowering to the bench, and then push up to your original position.

Form Tips

As the incline decreases, your midsection has to rely on all the components of your core working together to stabilize you as gravity pulls down on you more directly.  Maintain a straight line from your head to your toes, engage your core, keep your elbows back and at approximately 45º, and use a full range of motion. It is also likely that this exercise will be more difficult than when you do it on the high incline, since you will now be putting up to 30-40 percent of your body weight into your hands.

Ready to Level Up When

The goal is 3 sets of 8 – 12 repetitions with a lower incline. Performing this exercise 2-3 days per week for a duration of 8 -12 weeks will build confidence and develop muscle memory for good technique. Once you can perform more than 12 repetitions at the lower incline with good technique, you can then decrease the incline (increasing time) or do negatives to 1 -12 repetitions at level 4 on the ground for maximum time.

Common Mistakes

• If you ever find yourself exceeding certain limits with your body many times over, you will eventually see your overall performance negatively impacted. If that becomes a problem, then you may want to use either a lower incline or change back down to incline level two.

• As the incline decreases, it is more difficult to maintain the correct position of the elbow. If you notice that you are flaring your elbows out to the sides, stop and make a conscious effort to keep them closer to your sides and at about a 30 to 45 degree angle.

• Using a chair or bench that is too elevated will inhibit your ability to perform the exercise correctly. Ensure that the height of the particular bench used is appropriate to your personal height. Therefore, it is necessary to keep your form as consistent as possible while utilizing the bench.

Level 4: Knee Push-Ups

Knee push-ups allow you to practice the full push-up movement while reducing the amount of bodyweight you’re pressing. This is an important step because it teaches proper pushing mechanics, core tension, and elbow positioning before moving to full push-ups.

Form Tips

Start on the floor with your knees down, hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width, and your body forming a straight line from your head to your knees. Brace your core and glutes, then lower your chest toward the floor under control. Push back up while keeping your body aligned and tight.

Common Mistakes

• Letting your hips bend or stick out reduces effectiveness. Keep your body straight from head to knees. This can strain the shoulders. Keep elbows closer to your sides at a 30–45° angle.

• Speed hides weakness. Slow, controlled reps build real strength.

• Lower your chest toward the floor each rep. Full range builds confidence and carryover to full push-ups.

Once knee push-ups feel strong and consistent, you can begin attempting full push-ups, even if it’s just one clean rep at a time.

Level 5: Full Floor Push-Ups

Congrats! You are now ready to complete your first regular push-up! 

Begin by assuming a high plank position with hands aligned to shoulder width, activating or contracting your abdominal and glute muscles while keeping a straight line from the crown of your head through your heels.

Then slowly lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 90 degrees and slightly deeper than 90 degrees with your entire body tight and your muscles all engaged. Control the speed of this movement for approximately one to two seconds, and then press through your hands to return to your starting position.

Keep your body straight at all times, trying to achieve a clean repetition with your elbows bending to around 90°, then pressing back up to a straight-arm position. This should be done without knee flex on either side of your body.

Form Tips

Prior to performing the exercise, tighten the legs, glutes and core so they create one solid piece. During the lowering phase of the exercise the hands need to be positioned directly beneath the chest and you must maintain contact with the ground so you can "push off."

To start, it is necessary that you also keep your elbows tight against your sides while you push yourself up, as your upper arms should make about a 45-degree angle with your body during the entire motion. As you continue your pull-up, you should breathe out as you push yourself up, and you should breathe in as you lower yourself down, while pushing up and pulling down in a slow, controlled breathing manner for each rep.

Ready to Level Up When

Your target is 1 perfect push-up. Try to do 5 push-ups in a row before attempting another 8. To be able to do Push-Ups by performing 3 sets of 8-12 good form push-ups, you have established your strength. If you can comfortably do three sets of 12 standard push-ups, you've now completed this progression, and it's time to try another version.

Common Mistakes

• Elbows flared out to the side is one of the most frequent form errors. Flaring puts stress on your shoulders and also makes the push-up less effective for your chest.

• Sagging in the middle is another common issue with regular push-ups. If your low back is bowing and stomach drooping toward the floor, your core is not engaged enough, so clench your abs hard.

• Going only halfway down is a missed opportunity. A full push-up has you descend until your elbows are at least 90°. Ideally, get your chest within an inch of the ground.

• Discomfort experienced by your body while performing push-ups will likely result from having your hands incorrectly positioned. Prior to performing your push-ups, if you have issues with your wrists, consider doing wrist mobility work before performing any push-up.

Beginner Push-Up Training Schedule (2–4 Days/Week)

If you're new to push-ups, it's advisable to do only 2-3 sets of push-ups every 2-4 days, with at least 1 day of rest. One of the key things to keep in mind when doing push-ups is to allow your muscles time to recover before your next workout. 

Sample Weekly Schedule:

This is just one example. Feel free to change it up to fit your current schedule. 

Prior to beginning any exercise session, effective warm-up activity is extremely important to enhance performance of the entire session, improve overall health and assist with preventing any injuries. Warm-up of the muscle groups assists in increasing circulation to and warming, lubricating the joints.

Also, be patient and remain committed to your routine. Although you may be tempted to try to perform a push-up on the very first day, wait until you have practiced each of the various movements required to perform a proper push-up. By practicing regularly and being consistent, you will have a much higher success rate than if you work out as hard as you can just occasionally.

Safety Tips

You should feel your muscles working, but you should not feel sharp or stabbing pain. Stop the exercise if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or joint pain that worsens with each rep.

If you’re returning after an injury or have ongoing shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain, consider checking with a clinician or physiotherapist before progressing.

Troubleshooting

Even with a great plan, you might encounter a few bumps along the road. Here are some common problems beginners face with push-ups, along with tips to address them.

Wrist Pain

Sore wrists are common. Warm them up with gentle stretches and circles before push-ups. If discomfort persists, use push-up bars or dumbbells to keep your wrists neutral, or perform push-ups on an incline to reduce the load. You can also try doing them on your fists. Work on wrist mobility and strength between sessions. Don't push through sharp pain, and feel free to modify as needed. With time, your wrists will often adapt and strengthen.

Hips Sagging / Core Collapse

A sagging middle during push-ups signals a weak or fatigued core. Actively engage your abs and glutes to maintain a straight plank. If sagging persists, regress to an easier variation, like an incline push-up, where you can hold proper alignment. Strengthen your core with planks, dead bugs, and plank holds. Quality matters more than quantity, so prioritize perfect form over high reps.

Lack of Progress / Hitting a Plateau

Feeling stuck on your push-up journey is normal. First, ensure you're training consistently, at least twice a week. Don't rush your progress and stick with a variation you can perform with good form and focus on gradual progress. Mix in different techniques, like negatives or assisted reps, to challenge your muscles. 

Also, remember to prioritize muscle recovery, including sleep and proper nutrition, to allow your body to rebuild. Sometimes, adding targeted exercises for your triceps or chest can help. Finally, maintain confidence by recognizing every small improvement and visualizing your success.

Shoulder or Elbow Discomfort

Joint discomfort, especially in the shoulders or elbows, is often an issue with your form. Keep your elbows tucked at a 45° angle and your hands at chest level. Avoid locking your elbows at the top. Warm up with shoulder mobility exercises and consider strengthening your rotator cuffs. If pain persists, check your form with a professional. Ensure your shoulder blades move naturally during the exercise.

Breathing Issues or Getting Dizzy

People sometimes hold their breath during push-ups without realizing it, which can cause dizziness or a spike in blood pressure. The fix is to remember breathing rhythmically. Inhale as you lower, exhale as you push up. If you find yourself lightheaded after a set, pause, sit, and breathe deeply. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal that I can't do a single push-up yet?

Yes, absolutely. It's very common for beginners to struggle initially. A standard push-up requires pressing about half to three-quarters of your body weight. With step-by-step progression and consistent practice, you will gradually build up your strength.

How should a beginner start doing push-ups?

Beginners should start with easier variations and progress gradually. Begin with wall push-ups or hands-elevated (incline) push-ups on a sturdy surface. Find a variation you can do 5–10 reps of with good form and start there.

How long does it take to get your first push-up?

It varies, but generally, a complete beginner can achieve their first unassisted push-up in around 6 to 8 weeks. The timeline depends on factors like your starting strength and how often you train. The key is consistent practice a few times per week.

Should I do push-ups on my knees or on an incline?

Incline push-ups are generally preferable. They engage your whole body in the correct plank position, which helps train the core and leg involvement needed for real push-ups. Knee push-ups can build strength and may be helpful for some beginners, but incline push-ups usually do a better job of training the full plank position needed for standard push-ups

How many push-ups should a beginner do to start off?

There's no magic number of reps that fits everyone, but a good guideline is to start with 2–3 sets of as many push-ups as you can do with good form, aiming for around 5–10 reps per set. The focus should be on quality rather than a high rep count. Do this 2–4 times per week.

Can I do push-ups every day, or is that too much?

It's generally not recommended for beginners to do hard push-up workouts every single day. Your muscles and connective tissues need recovery time to rebuild and get stronger. Doing push-ups daily, especially to the point of muscle failure, can lead to overuse issues or burnout. A better strategy is to train push-ups around 2–4 days per week, with at least one rest day between sessions. 

Why do my wrists hurt when I do push-ups?

Wrist discomfort is common. Ensure your hand placement is correct. Consider using push-up bars or dumbbells to keep your wrists straight, or do push-ups on an incline to reduce the weight on them. Work on wrist mobility and strength.

Do push-ups also work my abs/core?

Yes. Push-ups are actually a good core exercise! When done properly, a push-up is basically like a moving plank. Your abs, obliques, and lower back muscles all engage to keep your torso straight and stabilized while you lift and lower your body. 

What muscles do push-ups work the most?

Push-ups primarily work the pectoralis major (chest), the anterior deltoids (front shoulders), and the triceps brachii (back of upper arms). They also significantly engage the core muscles as stabilizers.

How can I make push-ups easier if I'm struggling?

Use resistance bands for assisted push-ups. Practice tempo adjustments, like doing push-ups very slowly. Work on partial range-of-motion push-ups and negatives. Ensure you're engaging your whole body by tightening your abs and squeezing your legs.

Conclusion

Mastering push-ups is a journey, but it's one every beginner can conquer with the right approach. Be patient, be consistent, and always prioritize good form over rushing into the next step. It's completely fine if progress feels slow. Each rep you do with proper technique is building a foundation.

Keep it simple and start today at your current level. Maybe that's a set of wall push-ups in your living room or incline push-ups on a park bench. With each workout, you're inching closer to your goal. Progress is possible for you, no matter where you're starting. Keep your focus on consistent practice and celebrate each small win. Before you know it, you'll be knocking out push-ups and wondering why they ever seemed so daunting.

Save this guide to your phone. Follow it daily, celebrate your progress, and keep moving forward. You've got this.