Which muscles do push-ups work?

Let’s start with a summery of what muscles do push-ups work:

Push-ups are a great bodyweight exercise that can help you build strength and muscle all over your body. They work your chest, arms, shoulders, core, back, and legs. What muscles do push-ups work?

The key muscles used during a push-up:

• Chest: The pectoralis major is the main muscle used to push your body up.
• Arms: The triceps are responsible for straightening your arms, and the biceps help stabilize your elbows.
• Shoulders: The deltoids help lift your arms and stabilize your shoulders.
• Core: Your abs and back muscles work together to keep your body in a straight line.
• Legs: Your legs and glutes help stabilize your lower body.

Recap: Push-ups are a great way to work out your whole body. They are a challenging but effective exercise that can help you build strength and muscle.

In depth what muscles do push-ups work

What muscles do push-ups work? This question is often asked. A lot of muscles are activated during a push-up. That is why it is a very time effective exercise to perform to gain muscles and get in better shape.

Which muscles are primarily used during push-ups

Push-ups primarily targets the muscles of the chest, arms and shoulders. And support is required from other muscles results in a wider range of muscles integrated into the exercise. Therefor push-ups are a very good exercise to perform. It is near a complete body workout.

Abdominals

Role of the Abdominal Muscles in Push-Ups

An important role of the rectus abdominis and transversus abdominis muscles during push-ups. Both of these muscles play essential stabilizing roles, helping to keep the body aligned and providing the necessary core stability throughout the movement. Let’s break down their specific functions during push-ups in more detail.

1. Rectus Abdominis

The rectus abdominis is the most visible abdominal muscle, often referred to as the “six-pack” muscle. It runs vertically along the front of the abdomen, from the pubic bone to the rib cage. While its primary function is to flex the spine, it plays a more stabilizing role during push-ups rather than actively flexing the spine.

– Stabilization: During a push-up, the rectus abdominis contracts isometrically (without changing its length) to prevent the torso from sagging or arching excessively. This is essential to maintain proper alignment of the body.

– Preventing Hyperextension: The rectus abdominis helps to resist the tendency of the lower back to dip or overextend during the push-up. By keeping the spine in a neutral position, it ensures the torso remains in alignment with the legs and head, which is crucial for both safety and efficiency.

– Body Tension: As you lower and raise your body, the rectus abdominis works to create tension through the midsection, helping to keep the core solid and preventing any unnecessary movement in the hips or lower back.

Though it does not actively flex the spine during push-ups (since the movement is more about pressing up and down), the rectus abdominis is heavily engaged in maintaining core stability.

2. Transversus Abdominis

The transversus abdominis is the deepest of the abdominal muscles and wraps around the entire circumference of the torso, like a corset. It plays a key role in stabilizing the core and is a critical muscle for maintaining posture during dynamic exercises like push-ups.

– Core Stability: The transversus abdominis acts like a natural weight belt, providing intra-abdominal pressure that supports the spine and pelvis. This pressure helps stabilize the trunk, allowing the upper body and lower body to move as a unit.

– Maintaining Neutral Spine: By engaging the transversus abdominis, you increase core stiffness, which helps keep the spine in a neutral position during the push-up. This prevents the lower back from sagging or hyperextending, which is a common form issue in push-ups.

– Bracing: When performing push-ups, the transversus abdominis is constantly “bracing” the core. This is not a visible muscle contraction but more of an isometric engagement that helps to hold the entire body in a straight line, from the head to the heels.

The transversus abdominis plays a more deep stabilizing role than the rectus abdominis. It doesn’t cause any noticeable movement but is critical in maintaining spinal alignment and preventing unnecessary flexion or extension during the push-up.

Why Abdominal Engagement is Important During Push-Ups

– Preventing Injury: Engaging the abdominal muscles properly during a push-up helps prevent stress on the lower back and shoulders. A weak or disengaged core can lead to poor posture, which can increase the risk of injury, particularly in the lumbar spine.

– Enhancing Performance: A strong, stable core allows for more efficient transfer of force from the upper body (arms, chest, shoulders) to the lower body (hips, legs). This efficiency enhances the overall effectiveness of the push-up and allows for greater strength and endurance during the movement.

– Maintaining Alignment: The core muscles are responsible for keeping the body in a straight line from head to toe. Without the rectus abdominis and transversus abdominis maintaining stability, the torso may sag or overextend, causing a loss of form and making the movement less effective.

Summary of Abdominal Muscle Function in Push-Ups

– The rectus abdominis contracts isometrically to stabilize the trunk, preventing the spine from excessive arching or sagging.
– The transversus abdominis wraps around the torso, providing deep stabilization and maintaining intra-abdominal pressure, which helps support the spine and pelvis during the movement.

Together, these muscles allow you to perform push-ups with proper form, providing both stability and strength throughout the body. Engaging the core not only protects your spine but also enhances the efficiency of the push-up, allowing for greater strength, endurance, and muscle activation in the upper body.

Incorporating core engagement in push-ups is key for maximizing the benefits of the exercise while maintaining proper form and preventing injury.

Deltoid

The anterior portion of the deltoid muscle is one of the major shoulder-joint horizontal adductors, moving the upper arms toward the chest during the upward phase of a push-up. It also helps control the speed of movement during the downward phase. The deltoid attaches to parts of the clavicle and scapula, just above the shoulder joint on one end, and to the outside of the humerus bone on the other. Along with horizontal adduction, the anterior deltoid assists with flexion and internal rotation of the humerus within the shoulder socket.

To elaborate and clarify anterior deltoid in the context of the push-up role, let’s dive deeper into the function, anatomy, and movement mechanics of the deltoid during the exercise.

Deltoid Function in Push-Ups

The deltoid is a large, triangular muscle that forms the rounded contour of the shoulder. It has three distinct “heads” or parts:

1. Anterior Deltoid (front part)
2. Lateral Deltoid (middle part)
3. Posterior Deltoid (rear part)

In a push-up, the anterior deltoid is the primary head involved, and it plays a crucial role in the upward and downward phases of the movement.

1. Upward Phase (Pushing Up)

During the upward phase of a push-up, the goal is to push the body away from the floor. The **anterior deltoid** is heavily engaged to facilitate this movement, as it is a primary muscle in the horizontal adduction of the upper arm (bringing the arms closer to the body).

– Horizontal Adduction: As you push your body up, the anterior deltoid helps to move the arms toward the midline of the body, especially as the elbows straighten and the arms extend.

– Assisting in Shoulder Flexion: The anterior deltoid also contributes to **shoulder flexion** (raising the arm in front of the body), although the movement is more about horizontal adduction during push-ups than pure flexion. Nonetheless, it aids in lifting the body off the floor as the arms extend.

2. Downward Phase (Lowering the Body)

During the downward phase of a push-up, the anterior deltoid is still active, though in a more eccentric (lengthening) manner. It helps control the speed of the movement as you lower your body toward the floor.

– Eccentric Contraction: In this phase, the anterior deltoid controls the lowering motion, resisting gravity and preventing the arms from dropping too quickly. This eccentric action is important for building strength and muscle mass, as it places the muscle under tension for a longer period of time.

– Stabilization: The deltoid also helps stabilize the shoulder joint and maintains proper alignment to avoid injury. Without proper engagement of the anterior deltoid, the shoulders could collapse or become overly stressed during the downward motion.

Anatomy of the Anterior Deltoid

The anterior deltoid originates from two main points:
– Clavicle (Collarbone): Specifically, from the lateral (outer) third of the clavicle.
– Scapula (Shoulder Blade): It also attaches to the acromion (the bony prominence of the shoulder) and part of the spine of the scapula.

The anterior deltoid then inserts onto the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus, the bony prominence on the outside of the upper arm. This attachment allows the anterior deltoid to move the arm in various directions, depending on the specific type of shoulder movement.

Additional Roles of the Anterior Deltoid

Apart from its involvement in push-ups, the anterior deltoid has several other functions:
– Flexion of the Shoulder: The anterior deltoid helps to lift the arm forward (shoulder flexion), as in lifting a weight in front of you. While this isn’t the primary function in push-ups, it still contributes to the arm’s ability to extend and retract during the movement.
– Internal Rotation: The anterior deltoid is involved in internal rotation of the shoulder joint. This means it helps turn the arm inward, although this role is more evident during exercises like internal rotation or when performing certain overhead pressing movements.

Importance of the Anterior Deltoid in Push-Ups

– Stability and Strength: The anterior deltoid provides stability to the shoulder joint and assists in shoulder flexion and adduction during push-ups, making it a crucial muscle for generating power in the movement.
– Shoulder Health: Properly engaging the anterior deltoid ensures that the shoulder joint is supported throughout the push-up, reducing the risk of strain or injury. A weak or inactive deltoid can lead to improper shoulder mechanics, resulting in shoulder impingement or discomfort.
– Muscle Definition: Regular push-ups can help build muscle definition in the anterior deltoid, contributing to a more sculpted appearance of the shoulder and upper body.

Summary of Anterior Deltoid Function in Push-Ups

– The anterior deltoid is responsible for horizontal adduction, bringing the arms toward the chest during the upward phase of a push-up.
– It assists with shoulder flexion (lifting the arms in front of the body) but primarily focuses on adduction during the movement.
– During the downward phase, the anterior deltoid controls the speed of the descent, contracting eccentrically to stabilize the shoulder joint and maintain proper form.
– The anterior deltoid plays a critical role in stabilizing the shoulder joint, enhancing strength, and preventing injury during push-ups. Rest is also very important. This why the Push-Up Legends app will indicate the best time window for the next workout. Read more in our article ”Benefits of supercompensation”.

The deltoid is one of the primary shoulder muscles involved in push-ups, contributing to both strength and stabilization. What muscles do push-ups work? Regular push-up practice not only strengthens the chest, triceps, and core but also builds the anterior deltoid, leading to improved shoulder strength, stability, and aesthetics.

Chest muscles

The push-up requires the work of many muscle groups, with one of the primary muscle groups being the chest muscles, the pectoralis major and the minor. These are the two large chest muscles and the main pushing muscle group of the upper body. When pushing and lowering the body during a push-up, the pectoralis major is doing most of the work. As a result, these muscles become very strong and can become defined as lean muscle after doing push-ups regularly[citation needed].

The pectoralis major and pectoralis minor are key players in the push-up, especially when it comes to the pushing phase of the exercise. Let’s break down the role of these muscles in more detail, along with how they contribute to chest development.

The Role of the Chest Muscles in Push-Ups

1. Pectoralis Major

The pectoralis major is the larger of the two chest muscles and plays the primary role in a push-up. This muscle is a horizontal adductor, meaning it helps move the arms toward the center of the body (such as when your arms are pushing away from the ground). The pectoralis major is responsible for most of the force production when you’re pushing up in the push-up motion.

The pectoralis major has two parts:
– Clavicular Head (Upper Chest): Originates from the clavicle (collarbone) and is responsible for flexing and adducting the shoulder joint. It plays a more prominent role when performing exercises like incline push-ups or bench presses at an inclined angle.
– Sternal Head (Lower Chest): Originates from the sternum (breastbone) and rib cartilage, and it is responsible for moving the arms horizontally toward the body (horizontal adduction). This head is heavily engaged during standard push-ups and contributes significantly to the power during the upward phase of the push-up.

In a push-up, the pectoralis major is mainly responsible for:
– Concentric Contraction (Upward Phase): As you push your body away from the ground, the pectoralis major contracts to bring the arms inward, helping to extend the elbows and press the upper body up.
– Eccentric Contraction (Downward Phase): While not as forceful, the pectoralis major also helps control the lowering of the body, resisting the force of gravity as you descend.

2. Pectoralis Minor

The pectoralis minor is a smaller, triangular muscle that lies beneath the pectoralis major. Although it does not directly contribute to the pushing motion during a push-up, it plays an important stabilizing role.

– The pectoralis minor originates from the third, fourth, and fifth ribs and attaches to the coracoid process of the scapula (shoulder blade). Its primary function is to stabilize the scapula, pulling it downward and forward.
– During push-ups, it helps keep the shoulder blades in a proper position and assists in the scapular protraction (the motion of moving the scapula away from the spine), which is important for maintaining proper form and preventing the shoulder blades from winging or collapsing inward.

Impact of Push-Ups on Chest Muscle Strength and Definition

When you perform push-ups regularly, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor undergo a series of contractions that help to build strength and size in the chest. Over time, the muscle fibers adapt, leading to:

– Increased Muscle Strength: The pectoralis major becomes stronger and more capable of producing force, helping to push your body up and maintain proper form throughout the movement.
– Muscle Definition: As you continue to perform push-ups and other similar pushing exercises, the chest muscles (especially the pectoralis major) will become more defined. This is due to both muscle hypertrophy (growth) and the reduction of body fat around the chest area, revealing more muscle tone and definition.

Push-ups also engage the serratus anterior, deltoids, and triceps, which complement the action of the pectorals, adding to the overall development of the upper body. You can find more details in our blog post “How to do more push-ups“.

Why Push-Ups Are Effective for Chest Development

– Compound Movement: Push-ups are a compound bodyweight exercise, meaning they target multiple muscle groups at once. While the pectoralis major is the primary mover, the triceps, anterior deltoids, and stabilizer muscles (such as the core) assist in the movement. This leads to balanced strength development across the entire upper body.

– Versatility: By adjusting your hand placement or the angle of your body, you can target different parts of the chest. For example:

• Standard Push-ups: Primarily work the sternal (lower) part of the pectoralis major.
• Incline Push-ups: Target the clavicular (upper) part of the pectoralis major more intensely.
• Wide-Grip Push-ups: Increase the emphasis on the chest by increasing the stretch of the pectoralis major during the lowering phase.

– Time Under Tension: Regular push-ups challenge the muscles over time, increasing the duration the pectorals are under tension during both the concentric and eccentric phases, which is a key factor in muscle growth and definition.

Summary of Chest Muscles in Push-Ups

What muscles do push-ups work?

– The pectoralis major is the primary muscle involved in push-ups, responsible for bringing the arms inward and pushing the body away from the ground.
– The clavicular head (upper chest) is more active in incline variations.
– The sternal head (lower chest) is primarily engaged during standard push-ups.
– The pectoralis minor supports the movement by stabilizing the scapula and assisting in the positioning of the shoulder blades.

Regular push-ups are an effective way to strengthen and define the chest muscles, while also providing benefits to the shoulders, arms, and core. With consistency and proper form, push-ups can lead to noticeable improvements in upper body strength and muscle definition.

Stabilizer Muscles During Push-Ups

When performing a push-up, stabilizer muscles are crucial for maintaining a stable body position and ensuring efficient movement. The muscles you mentioned—the erector spinae, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus—all play important roles, but let’s dive into each one and its function in more detail:

1. Erector Spinae (Upper Back Stabilizers)

The **erector spinae** is a group of muscles that runs along the length of your spine and is essential for stabilizing the torso during push-ups. This group of muscles includes:

– Spinalis: The closest muscle to the spine, helping to extend and stabilize the vertebral column.
– Longissimus: Running alongside the spinalis, it helps to maintain an upright posture and provides support for the spine.
– Iliocostalis: The outermost muscle of the erector spinae, which extends from the lower back and ribs up to the cervical spine. It assists with lateral flexion and overall stability of the spine during dynamic movements.

During a push-up, the erector spinae works to keep the back in a neutral, straight position, preventing the lower back from sagging and the upper back from rounding. The proper activation of these muscles is critical to preventing injury and ensuring proper form, especially as your body moves up and down.

2. Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus (Hip Stabilizers)

The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are located beneath the larger gluteus maximus, and they play a key role in stabilizing the pelvis and hips during push-ups.

– Gluteus Medius: The gluteus medius is located on the outer surface of the pelvis and is primarily responsible for controlling the movement of the pelvis in the frontal plane. It helps keep the hips level during the push-up, preventing any side-to-side rocking of the torso.

– Gluteus Minimus: The gluteus minimus is located beneath the gluteus medius, and it works in conjunction with the medius to stabilize the pelvis and assist with hip abduction (moving the leg away from the midline). The minimus helps ensure that the lower body remains stable, which is crucial for maintaining proper form and preventing excessive hip sway.

These glute muscles prevent the lower body from dropping or swaying during the exercise. They also provide the necessary stabilization for the pelvis, ensuring a strong connection between the upper and lower body.

3. Core Muscles (Abs and Obliques)

Although not explicitly mentioned in your description, the core muscles (including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis) are also key stabilizers during push-ups. They help maintain a rigid body position, preventing the torso from sagging or excessively arching. The core works in tandem with the erector spinae to maintain spinal stability and proper alignment throughout the movement.

– The rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscles) helps stabilize the trunk.
– The obliques help resist rotation and assist with side-to-side stability.
– The transverse abdominis is the deepest layer of the core, and it functions like a natural “weight belt,” providing intra-abdominal pressure to support the spine.

4. Scapular Stabilizers (Upper Body and Shoulders)

Finally, the muscles surrounding the scapula (shoulder blades) are vital for shoulder stability during push-ups. These muscles include:

– Rhomboids: Help retract the shoulder blades to keep them steady and engaged.
– Trapezius: In particular, the middle and lower parts of the trapezius play a role in stabilizing the shoulder blades and preventing them from winging out during the push-up.
– Serratus Anterior: This muscle is responsible for keeping the shoulder blades pressed against the rib cage, particularly during the upward phase of the push-up.

These scapular stabilizers ensure that the shoulders are properly positioned, allowing the arms to move effectively without causing unnecessary stress on the joints.

Summary of Stabilizer Muscle Roles in Push-Ups

– The erector spinae stabilizes the spine, preventing excessive arching or rounding of the back.
– The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus stabilize the pelvis, keeping the lower body in alignment and preventing swaying.
– The core muscles (abs and obliques) maintain torso rigidity, preventing any sagging of the hips or lower back.
– The scapular stabilizers ensure proper positioning and movement of the shoulders during the exercise.

Together, these stabilizer muscles allow you to perform a push-up with good form, supporting the body as it moves through the motion while also protecting the spine, shoulders, and hips from injury. Proper engagement of these muscles not only improves the effectiveness of the exercise but also helps build strength and stability throughout the entire body.

Triceps brachii

The closer your hands during push-ups, the harder the triceps work

During a push-up, the anterior deltoids and pectoralis major muscles play a primary role in the horizontal adduction of the upper arm, which is the movement that brings the arms inward toward the torso. Meanwhile, the triceps brachii are essential for elbow extension, ensuring the arms fully extend as you push yourself up from the ground.

Function of the Triceps in Push-Ups

– Upward Phase (Push-up Execution): The triceps extend the elbows, straightening the arms and helping to lift the body upward. This action is crucial for completing the push-up motion.
– Downward Phase (Lowering the Body): During the descent, the triceps do not merely relax. Instead, they engage in eccentric contraction, controlling the speed of elbow flexion as you lower your body toward the ground, preventing your arms from bending too quickly.

Hand Placement and Triceps Activation

– The closer your hands are positioned, the more emphasis is placed on the triceps. In a narrow or close-grip push-up, the elbows remain closer to the body, forcing the triceps to work harder to extend the elbows. This shift can also make the movement feel more focused on the triceps rather than the chest or shoulders.

Anatomy of the Triceps

The triceps brachii consists of three distinct heads:

1. Lateral Head: Located on the outer part of the upper arm, this head is responsible for the majority of force generation during arm extension.
2. Medial Head: Situated deeper on the inner side of the arm, the medial head also contributes significantly to elbow extension, especially in movements that require higher endurance or force generation.
3. Long Head: The longest of the three heads, it originates from the scapula (specifically the infraglenoid tubercle) and crosses the shoulder joint. The long head plays a more pronounced role in stabilizing the shoulder and assisting in shoulder extension during exercises like push-ups.

The three heads converge to form a single tendon that attaches to the olecranon (the bony prominence of the elbow), facilitating elbow extension.

Summary of Triceps Work in Push-Ups

What muscles do push-ups work?

– Close-grip push-ups demand greater triceps engagement because of the reduced involvement of the chest and shoulders.
– The long head of the triceps, due to its attachment at the scapula, has some involvement in shoulder extension and stabilization, although its primary role remains in elbow extension.
– The lateral and medial heads are more focused on elbow extension and controlling the arm’s motion during both the concentric (upward) and eccentric (downward) phases of the push-up.

In all, while push-ups are often thought of as a chest-dominant exercise, the triceps play a pivotal role, especially when hand placement is altered to challenge the muscle more directly.

Forearms

Stabilizers include wrist and forearm muscles, the knee extensors, and the hip/spine flexors, which all work isometrically to maintain a proper plank position in the standard prone push-up.

Biceps

During the push-up exercise, the short head of the biceps brachii muscle acts as a dynamic stabilizer. This means the muscle activates at both ends—the elbow and the shoulder—to help stabilize the joints.

Joints and tendons

Inner muscles that support the operation of the fingers, wrists, forearms, and elbows are also worked isometrically. Some push-up modifications that require to have the arms at different heights effectively engage the rotator cuff.

Research of what muscles do push-ups work

Clinical studies where done in 2015, ”Selective Activation of Shoulder, Trunk, and Arm Muscles: A Comparative Analysis of Different Push-Up Variants”. Is gives answer to the question ”What muscles do push-ups work?”.

The objective was to obtain information on the effect of different push-up variants on the electromyography (EMG) of a large sample of upper limb muscles and to investigate the role of the trunk and abdomen muscles during the AP and DP. Read the full article on the National Athletic Trainers Organisation here. Find out more ”What muscles do push-ups work” and start your own push-up journey today. Download the our push-up app in the App Store.