How to Perform a Strict Bodyweight Push-Up
Master the strict standard push-up by locking in plank alignment, positioning hands beneath shoulders, and executing a controlled chest-to-floor descent.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Smartphone with camera
- ✓ Floor phone stand or tripod
- ✓ Exercise mat
- ✓ Full-length mirror
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Athletic clothing
- ✓ Flat athletic shoes or bare feet
- ✓ Clear non-slip floor space (6x3 ft)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Stop immediately if you feel sharp, pinching pain in your anterior shoulders or lumbar spine.
- • Maintain a neutral neck by looking at the floor 6 inches ahead of your hands rather than straining upward.
- • Keep your core braced throughout the movement to prevent your lower back from sagging into hyper-extension.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Position the Camera and Floor Area
Set your smartphone on a low stand roughly 4 to 6 feet away at hip height, angled to capture your entire body in profile. Clear a 6-by-3-foot area of floor and lay down an exercise mat to provide cushioning and traction. Start recording or connect your coaching app so your joint angles remain visible from head to toe.
- • Full body from head to heels is framed horizontally in the camera view
- • Floor is clear of debris with a stable non-slip mat laid flat
- • Placing the camera too close, cutting off the feet or head from the frame
- • Shooting from a top-down angle that obscures spine alignment
Set Hand and Foot Placement
Kneel on the mat and place your palms flat on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, directly under your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide and rotate your hands outward slightly so your index fingers point forward. Step your feet back one at a time, placing your toes on the floor hip-width apart.
- • Hands are planted directly below the front of the shoulders
- • Fingers are splayed with index fingers pointing straight forward
- • Feet are hip-width apart with heels pushed back
- • Placing hands too far forward or too wide, which strains the shoulder capsules
- • Allowing feet to touch together or splay excessively wide
Engage Full-Body Tension in High Plank
Squeeze your glutes and pull your belly button inward toward your spine to create a rigid straight line from your head to your heels. Push the floor away through your palms to spread your shoulder blades apart slightly in a slight protraction. Keep your neck neutral by fixing your gaze onto the mat roughly 6 inches ahead of your fingertips.
- • A straight unbroken line runs from the ears through shoulders, hips, and ankles
- • Glutes and abdominal muscles are visibly contracted without lower-back sag
- • Dropping the hips toward the floor or piking the hips high in the air
- • Tucking the chin against the chest or hyperextending the neck upward
Lower the Body with Controlled Elbow Tucking
Inhale and begin bending your elbows to lower your entire body toward the floor as one solid unit. Track your elbows backward at a 45-degree angle relative to your torso, creating an arrow shape rather than a 'T' shape. Descend under control over 2 to 3 seconds until your chest hovers 1 inch off the mat or lightly grazes it.
- • Elbows track backward at roughly 45 degrees from the ribcage
- • Chest reaches within 1 inch of the floor while thighs and stomach stay off the mat
- • Flaring elbows out at 90 degrees, placing excessive torque on the shoulder joints
- • Letting the hips hit the ground first while the chest stays elevated
Press Up to Full Lockout
Exhale forcefully through pursed lips and drive your palms straight down into the floor to reverse the movement. Keep your core and glutes fully engaged so your chest and hips rise at the exact same rate. Continue pressing until your arms are fully straight and your shoulder blades protract naturally at the top.
- • Arms return to full extension without harsh elbow snapping
- • Hips and shoulders reach the top position simultaneously
- • Pushing the chest up while leaving the hips behind in a 'worm' motion
- • Stopping short of full elbow extension at the top
Review Repetition Quality on Camera
Step out of the plank, pause your recording, and review the playback against strict form checkpoints. Confirm that your spine stayed rigid, elbows remained at 45 degrees, and your chest achieved full depth on every rep. If your hips sagged or depth was limited, adjust your rep target or elevate your hands on an incline for subsequent sets.
- • Video replay shows parallel descent and ascent with zero spinal sagging
- • Rep cadence shows a controlled eccentric lower and powerful concentric press
- • Ignoring form breakdowns on tape and continuing to perform fatigued reps
- • Skipping hand-elevation regressions when strict floor reps cannot be completed
Don’t have everything?
- No Exercise mat? Carpeted floor or a non-slip yoga towel
- No Phone tripod or stand? Water bottle or shoe propping the phone against a wall