Struggling With a Push-Up? Try These 5 Beginner Exercises First

Doing a push-up is no easy task. While it might seem easy on screen, it’s much harder in real life. If you struggle with performing one, don’t worry. You’re not alone.

Holding your entire body weight while doing a plank and pushing yourself up and down can be difficult for anyone at any fitness level. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do a push-up. It just means you haven’t prepared your body correctly yet. There are many push-up exercises you can do first to build up your strength. These exercises are simpler and prepare the right muscles so you can do a push-up in no time.

1. Wall Push-Ups

Wall push-ups are the most beginner-friendly kind of push-up. This exercise is the best place to start if you aren’t sure whether you’re ready for a standard push-up. Doing it against a wall helps your body learn the push-up movement pattern. With a wall, you don’t have to worry about carrying your entire body weight, and you can just focus on the movement and proper alignment.

Many wall exercises are designed to improve balance and control. Start by standing facing a wall. Place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, keeping your arms straight. You should stand about two feet from the wall, with your body upright. Slowly bend your elbows and lean toward the wall until your chest gets close to it. Push back to the starting position and repeat several times.

2. Incline Push-Ups

Incline push-ups help you get comfortable supporting your body weight without lifting it all at once. This type of push-up reduces the amount of body weight you lift. This makes them easier than standard push-ups and great for practice. They train your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, all muscles that are essential for a proper push-up.

Place your hands on a bench or a sturdy countertop. Make sure your hands are shoulder-width apart. Step your feet back until your body forms a straight line at an angle. Once you’re in position, slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the surface. Push back up and repeat.

3. Knee Push-Ups

These push-ups are probably the most popular among beginners. They allow you to practice the full push-up motion without lifting your entire body weight. Knee push-ups target your primary muscles. Knees can feel weak as you age, which makes the exercise even more essential for healthy aging.

Position yourself on the floor in a push-up stance. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and place your knees on the ground. Cross your ankles behind you. Once you’re ready, slowly lower your chest toward the floor. Make sure your elbows stay at about a 45-degree angle as you lower your chest. Repeat this movement several times.

4. Plank Holds

A standard push-up is difficult to do without holding a plank. Core strength is essential for both a plank and a push-up. Core strength doesn’t develop overnight. You need to train your body for it. If doing a plank feels intimidating, start with simple core exercises to build strength. This will prepare you to hold a plank position, which will eventually make push-ups easier.

To do a plank, take a push-up position on the floor. Place your forearms on the ground, ensuring your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Extend your legs behind you until your body forms a straight line from the tip of your head to your heels. Hold this position for at least 20 to 30 seconds.

5. Dumbbell Chest Press

Using dumbbells can make at-home workouts much easier. There are many dumbbell exercises for sculpting the arms, shoulders, back, and legs. All of these muscles help with push-ups. Push-ups rely heavily on chest strength, and dumbbell chest exercises help build it. This exercise helps improve your upper-body pushing muscles.

To do this exercise, lie on a bench or the floor with a dumbbell in each hand. Start with your elbows bent at about 90 degrees. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are straight. Then lower them back to the starting position. You can do this exercise with light weights to build muscle. Over time, you can gradually move to heavier weights and more repetitions.

Final Thoughts

While daunting, no exercise is truly impossible, even a push-up. If you’re struggling with push-ups, it’s only because your body hasn’t been trained for them, and as you can see, many muscle groups are used in a push-up.

Muscle strength takes time to build. With these exercises, you can train the right muscles. Practice these exercises regularly for a few weeks and see how much easier push-ups become. You can train your body to do almost any exercise with consistency and strength training.