Knee Push-Up

Execution

1. Brace your belly and glutes so the hips cannot sag, and look at the floor just ahead of your hands.
2. Inhale and lower your chest over 2 seconds, elbows angled back about 45 degrees from your torso.
3. Go down until your chest is about one fist off the floor, without letting your face arrive before your chest.
4. Exhale, push the floor away and return to the top with hips and chest rising together.
5. Straighten your arms at the top, keep the body in one line and start the next rep.

Quick cues

• One line from head to knees.
• Elbows at 45 degrees, not flared.
• Push the floor away.
• Chest arrives first, face never does.
• Squeeze your glutes like holding a coin.

Common faults

• Fault: The hips sagging and the lower back arching

  Fix: Squeeze the glutes before you lower and walk the knees closer to your hands to shorten the lever.

• Fault: The hips riding high so the body folds into a V

  Fix: Drop the hips until shoulder, hip and knee sit on one line, and check it with a video from the side.

• Fault: The chin diving at the floor before the chest gets there

  Fix: Pick a spot on the floor about one hand-span ahead of your hands and keep your eyes there all set.

• Fault: Hands planted under the chest, which makes the wrists ache

  Fix: Move the hands slightly wider than the shoulders and press on fists or handles if the wrists still hurt.