Push-Ups: 8 Common Mistakes That Could Be Holding You Back -

Push-ups, and the abundance of variations you can perform, target many muscle-groups, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, serratus, and abdominals. Push-ups are both badass and effective, and the possibilities for play are endless! Furthermore, push-ups require no equipment, and can be done anywhere, anytime. If you want to train at home, push-ups can be the perfect solution!

Some people scoff at push-ups and think they are “easy.” This is anything but true. Very few people can perform proper push-ups from the floor, and this includes people of all fitness levels, abilities, and genders. It’s not unheard of for someone to be able to bench-press hundreds of pounds, yet fail to perform a single push-up using proper form. This is not clickbait. Keep reading if you want to learn why “strong” people might struggle.

If you hope to excel at regular push-ups, learn more advanced and innovative push-up variations, and keep your body feeling good in the process, it is imperative you learn how to perform push-ups correctly. There is so much more to this exercise than simply “pushing up.”

Check out this article where I dissect the push-up, and talk about proper push-up form. I also provide several exercises for improving push-up ability.

Some people have been training push-ups for years but haven’t made much if any progress. Can you relate to this?

Like with pull-ups, I don’t hesitate to say that in most instances, your inability to excel at push-ups is not because you are physically incapable. The great news is your lack of success is likely because you have not been training for the exercise as effectively as you could be. I am here to help.

My push-up program, The Ultimate Push-Up Program troubleshoots all of these common mistakes that could be preventing you from achieving your push-up specific goals, including performing your first proper push-up, improving your current push-up PR for reps, and learning more advanced and badass push-up variations. Master the fundamentals, and the sky is the limit!

Here are 8 common mistakes that might be preventing you from excelling at push-ups. These errors are relevant to people of all genders, ages, fitness levels, and backgrounds. I could have included many other mistakes.

Mistake #1: Arching The Back And Flaring The Ribcage, aka “The Slinky”

Essentially, the push-up is a moving plank. Your body should form a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, and should remain in this position for the duration of the exercise. This is much easier said than done.

When many people do push-ups, it is extremely common for them to move segmentally and hinge through their lower or mid back, and flare their ribcage. This is especially true when they hit the bottom position and go to press back up. This common mistake can be due to a lack of lumbo-pelvic stability (stability around the torso, hips and spine), or possibly a lack of mind⁣⁣fulness.⁣⁣

As I discussed in my pull-up program, The Ultimate Pull-Up Program, what do you think would be easier to move? A heavy floppy sandbag, or an equally weighted rigid board? I hope you chose the latter. Moving a stable and rigid object is easier than moving an identically weighted object that lacks stability. The same applies to the push-up. If you cannot control the movement in certain parts of your body, and generate the requisite level of intentional rigidity/stiffness in other areas, including the areas around your torso, spine, and hips, you will struggle to perform push-ups, and your form will be incredibly sloppy. Don’t be a Slinky!

Troubleshooting Tips:

Proper bracing has a tremendous impact on push-up performance. Before you initiate each push-up and descend, try to achieve a 360 degree brace around your spine. What I mean by this, you want to contract your core muscles on the front, back, and sides of your torso. Do not brace by “sucking in.” Aim to maintain this tension for the duration of the exercise, but really reset your brace in the top position before you perform the next rep.

In terms of rib positioning, one coaching cue I sometimes like to use is having people imagine they are trying to lightly close the space in their anterior core (midsection). Many people have a tendency of flaring their ribcage after they have reached the bottom position of the push-up and are about to press back up to the top position. This point in the push-up is when many breakdowns in form occur, and people turn into a “Slinky.” This subtle cue can help.

For the duration of the exercise, contract your glutes. In the top position between reps you may “re-engage” your glutes, but ideally, keep them contracted the entire time. ⁣

Improve your lumbo-pelvic stability by performing exercises like dead bugs, hollow body holds, roll-outs, landmine exercises, etc⁣⁣

Mistake #2: Collapsing Head And Neck , aka “Bird Drinking Water”

One mistake many people make is they often initiate the push-up by dropping their head and neck versus bending their elbows and retracting their shoulder blades. I liken this breakdown in form to a bird drinking water, because this is essentially what they look like. ⁣⁣

As I talked about in the point above, when you are performing push-ups your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Your neck should remain in a neutral position, and chin lightly tucked.⁣⁣

Troubleshooting Tips:

Gaze directly down to a spot on the floor. For the duration of the exercise, keep your eyes fixed on this spot. If your head and neck collapse, your eyes will likely shift towards a spot on the floor that is closer to your feet. Conversely, if you extend your neck and look up, your eyes will likely shift towards a spot on the floor that is ahead of your body.⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣

Lightly tuck your chin towards your neck. For the duration of the exercise, keep your chin in this position. This tuck should be very subtle, and should not cause you to round your neck and look down. Imagine you are trying to form a double chin. Practice this chin tuck while standing, sitting, or lying down.⁣ ⁣⁣

Lightly press your tongue against the roof of your mouth (behind your upper front teeth). Keep your tongue pressed and in this position from the time right before you have descended into the push-up, to when you have hit the bottom position and have pressed away from the floor. This subtle trick can work wonders.⁣⁣

Mistake #3: Flaring Elbows, aka “T vs Arrow”

In the bottom position of the push-up, your elbows should be directly above your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Essentially, in the bottom position of a push-up your body and upper arms should resemble an “arrow.” Many people allow their elbows to flare up towards their ears so their body and upper arms resemble a “t” shape. This is not efficient, and can place the joints under needless stress.

Troubleshooting Tips:

⁣During the lowering (eccentric) component of the push-up, your shoulder blades should retract. You can imagine you are sliding your shoulder blades together and towards your spine. But do not overdo this movement.

You can also imagine you are ‘’rowing’’ your body down to the floor. ⁣Controlled scapular movement definitely plays a key role in keeping the elbows in the correct position, and preventing them from flaring.

⁣Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor (or bench if you are performing a hands elevated variation). This can help improve your overall control and arm positioning. Remember, be an “arrow.”

Get The Ultimate Push-Up Program. Followed by people of all genders in over 70 countries worldwide. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Very home workout friendly!

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Mistake #4: Improper Scapular Movement (Keeping The Shoulder Blades Pinned)

When it comes to push-ups, the controlled movement of the shoulder blades plays an integral role. When many people do push-ups, they aggressively retract their shoulder blades and lock them in this position for most, if not all of the exercise. What I mean, they draw their shoulder blades together and towards their spine, and keep them in this position for the duration of the exercise.

This common error can compromise your push-up form, and can place your shoulders under unnecessary stress. This mistake can also result in people skimping out on range of motion, as locking the shoulder blades in place makes achieving a full range of motion close to impossible, particularly during the concentric component. Or at least other parts of the body will need to compensate in order to achieve this range.

Troubleshooting Tips:

During the lowering component of the push-up, retract your shoulder blades, but do not overdo this movement. A lot of people make the mistake of being overly aggressive with the retraction. Think about gently sliding your shoulder blades in towards your spine.

You can also imagine you are ‘’rowing’’ or pulling your body down to the floor. One or both of these cues work well for many individuals.

Mistake #5: Improper Scapular Movement (Rounding The Spine Instead Of Protracting)

When many people perform push-ups, instead of protracting their shoulder blades (spreading them apart) when they are pressing away from the floor and are completing the rep, and when they are in the top position, they simply round their upper back like they would during the “camel” portion of the cat/camel pose. This is not proper scapular movement or push-up form.

Troubleshooting Tips:

As you are pressing your body away from the floor and are completing each push-up, protract your shoulder blades. Think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and away from your spine, and moving them around your ribcage. Do not “protract” your shoulder blades by rounding your upper back.

You can imagine you are sliding your shoulder blades apart in a horizontal path. I like to imagine I have a ruler sitting across my shoulder blades, and that I am trying to slide each shoulder blade to the opposite end of the ruler.

Mistake #6: Improper Weight Distribution In The Hands

During push-ups, countless people do not pay attention to what their hands are doing. While I talk about the tripod foot base all the time, I employ a similar strategy with the hands. This often overlooked element can improve your power as you are pressing your body away from the floor, help you execute all components of the exercise in a much more controlled manner, and help you maintain proper body positioning.⁣ I already discussed this point above.

Troubleshooting Tips:

⁣Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists.

Imagine you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor (or bench if you are performing a hands elevated variation). This can help improve your overall control and arm positioning. Remember, be an “arrow.”

Do you experience pain at the base of your wrists when you are performing push-ups?

Establishing and maintaining the correct weight distribution, and hand and finger positioning, can sometimes help alleviate or even eliminate this annoying (and often limiting) discomfort.⁣

Mistake #7: Lack Of Control During The Eccentric Component

When many people perform push-ups, they completely disregard the lowering/eccentric component of the exercise and drop down with reckless abandon, catch themselves in the bottom position, and attempt to press back up. This is not efficient, and can place the muscles and joints under needless stress. I won’t lie, filming this “bad form” video was not fun!

Troubleshooting Tips:

Rather than dropping down to the bottom position, imagine you are pulling/rowing your body down to the bottom position. This tip can be a game-changer!

This ties in to the point above. Focus on retracting your shoulder blades. This will help you perform the lowering component in a much more controlled and fluid manner. Again, think about gently sliding your shoulder blades in towards your spine, but do not overdo this movement.

Pay attention to what your hands are doing, and make sure your weight is evenly distributed throughout your full hand and fingers. This can help improve your overall control.

Keep your elbows in the optimal “arrow” position. This can help improve your overall control.

If you are struggling to maintain control, do some eccentric-only push-ups. This push-up regression will help improve your overall ability to perform the ever-important lowering portion of the exercise.

Mistake #8: Improper Body Path

During a properly executed push-up, your body should travel in a straight vertical path to the floor, and a straight vertical path back to the top position, hence the term push-“up.” When a lot of people do push-ups, they allow their body to travel in more of a diagonal path (and sometimes even horizontally ). This can place the shoulders under needless stress, and is not proper push-up form.

Troubleshooting Tips:

In the top position of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows, and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position. In the top position, your shoulders can be slightly ahead of your wrists (my preference) as this makes it easier to keep the forearms vertical when you are in the bottom position, but only do this if it works and feels good for you. When a lot of people get into the starting position, they position their hands so they are well ahead of their shoulders. Due to the improper starting position, the body will be more prone to traveling diagonally (and sometimes even horizontally).

Proper scapular retraction during the eccentric component, and protraction during the concentric component, will help keep the body traveling in an optimal path. Many people have a tendency of allowing their scapulae to elevate and for their shoulders to shrug and roll forward. This can cause the body to travel in a diagonal/horizontal path, and can place the shoulders under needless stress.

Imagine there is a wall directly in front of your head. For the duration of the exercise, you do not want your body to travel forward so your head strikes the “wall.”

Gaze directly down to a spot on the floor. For the duration of the exercise, keep your eyes fixed on this spot. If your body travels in a horizontal path, you will lose the spot on the floor. This trick can be great for improving overall awareness.

Sometimes people compensate and make the exercise easier by traveling diagonally/horizontally, versus vertically. If this breakdown can’t be rectified, performing hands elevated push-ups can be a great option until they have developed the requisite level of upper body strength, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, lumbo-pelvic stability, and push-up technique to perform the exercise from the floor.

Bonus Mistake: Doing ALL Of The Above

When some people do push-ups, they make many, or all of the mistakes I described above. In this video you can tell that I have very little lumbo-pelvic stability and shoulder or scapular controlled mobility, my body path is all over the place, and I am like a “Slinky” versus the rigid board.