Master Proper Push-Up Form with These 4 Exercises

You've probably been powering through push-ups — or at least trying to — since your elementary school days. (Thanks, Presidential Fitness Test!) But, despite years of practice in sweaty gymnasiums, fitness centers, and, nowadays, home workout spaces, most people aren't practicing proper push-up form, says Hannah Davis, C.S.C.S., an NYC Academy of Personal Training-certified trainer and the creator of Body By Hannah.

For example, some folks may not know (or remember) to engage their core throughout the move, which can increase the risk of lower-back pain and injury, Kelly Froelich, a certified personal trainer and the co-founder of the digital fitness platform Balanced, previously told Shape. And if your arms form a 90-degree angle from your sides (so your upper body forms a "T" shape) rather than a 45-degree angle (similar to an arrowhead shape), you may up your odds of experiencing a shoulder impingement — when the top outer edge of the shoulder blade rubs against the rotator cuff, leading to pain and irritation — Froelich explained. Translation: Poor push-up form diminishes your workout's effectiveness and can even lead to injuries instead of a stronger upper body, says Davis.

So if your push-up form isn't up to par and you want to build a powerful chest and solid core with the exercise, you first have to go back to the basics. To help you in that journey, Davis is sharing and demonstrating four exercises that will help you slowly build up strength and perfect your push-up form. Trust, once you reach the full push-up, your workouts are sure to be effective — not a recipe for injury. (Once you've mastered these progressions, try more push-up variations with this 30-day push-up challenge.)

4 Exercises to Build Better Push-Up Form

How it works: For each push-up form exercise, do 3 sets of 10 reps.Practice each push-up form exercise until you can confidently perform the suggested number of reps and sets before progressing to the next exercise.

What you'll need: a yoga mat

Step 1: Modified Eccentric Push-Up

This full-range-of-motion move will help you nail the key components of proper push-up form: engaging the core and lats (the large back muscles that extend from your armpit down to the top of your glutes in a fan-like shape). During the downward (aka eccentric) portion of the exercise, you'll slowly lower your body — from your knees to your shoulders — all the way to the floor. In doing so, you'll build and strengthen the muscle fibers needed to smoothly press your body back up to the starting position in a full push-up, says Davis

A. Start in a modified plank position with hands directly under shoulders, knees on the floor, and toes touching the floor.

B. Engage core by tucking tailbone and drawing navel in toward spine. Lock in lats by drawing shoulders down and away from ears. (Imagine screwing palms outward into the floor.)

C. Push elbows out so arms form a 45-degree angle to the body. Look down at the floor to keep neck neutral. Slowly lower body down to the floor for five counts, keeping core engaged throughout the movement and ensuring body forms a straight line from head to knees. Chest, core, and thighs should hit the floor at the same time.

D. Quickly press chest then thighs off the ground to return to the starting position.

Step 2: Modified Push-Up

Once you've gotten the hang of slowly lowering and pressing your body off the ground with the modified eccentric push-ups, it's time to build muscular endurance with traditional modified push-ups. With this exercise, you'll lower your body to the floor but stop a few inches above the ground, rather than dropping all the way down at a slow pace. When pressing yourself back into the starting position, don't forget to maintain proper alignment — with your head, shoulders, hips, and knees all in line.

A. Start in a modified plank position with hands directly under shoulders and knees on the floor. Lift feet off the ground and hold them there.

B. Engage core by tucking tailbone and drawing navel in toward spine. Lock in lats by drawing shoulders down and away from ears.

C. Push elbows out so arms form a 45-degree angle to the body. Lower body, stopping 3 inches above the floor. Keep core engaged throughout the movement and ensure body forms a straight line from head to knees.

D. Push away from the floor to return to the starting position.

Step 3: Eccentric Push-Up

Now that you've committed the core activation to muscle memory, try full eccentric push-ups to practice engaging your entire body. In this push-up form progression, you'll start in a high plank position and slowly lower yourself until your entire body is resting on the floor, emphasizing the eccentric portion of the movement to build up strength. Since your legs are fully extended, you'll fire up your glutes and quads in addition to your core and upper body. (After all, a push-up is just a moving version of a high plank.)

A. Start in a high plank position with hands directly under shoulders and legs extended, feet hips-width apart.

B. Engage core by tucking tailbone and drawing navel in toward spine. Lock in lats by drawing shoulders down and away from ears. Engage glutes and quads.

C. Push elbows out so arms form a 45-degree angle to the body and look down to keep neck neutral. Slowly lower body down to the floor for five counts. Keep core engaged throughout the movement, ensuring body forms a straight line from head to toes. Chest, core, and thighs should hit the floor at the same time.

D. With knees remaining on the floor, press chest then thighs off the ground to return to the starting position. Lift knees off floor to return to the starting position.

Step 4: Full Push-Up

Using all of the techniques you've learned so far, you'll be ready to tackle the full exercise with proper push-up form. You'll start in a high plank position, lower your body to the floor (stopping a few inches above the ground), then press back up to the starting position. Remember to keep your core strong, lats engaged, and tailbone tucked, and you'll work the muscles you actually want to work, says Davis.

A. Start in a high plank position with hands directly underneath shoulders and legs extended, feet hip-width apart.

B. Engage core by tucking tailbone and drawing navel in toward spine. Lock in lats by drawing shoulders down and away from ears. Engage glutes and quads.

C. Push elbows out so arms form a 45-degree angle to the body and look down to keep neck neutral. Lower body, stopping 3 inches above the floor. Keep core engaged throughout the movement, ensuring body forms a straight line from head to toe.

D. Quickly push back up to the starting position.