- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternPush
- Reps5 to 30 reps
- Joint loadWrist
Kneel on a mat, place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and walk them forward until your body is straight from head to knees.
First cueKeep a straight line from head to knees.
How to do the Knee Push-Up
Set up. Kneel on a mat, place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and walk them forward until your body is straight from head to knees.
- Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
- Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled back.
- Push back up to straight arms.
Form cues
- Keep a straight line from head to knees.
- Lower the chest, not the head.
- Pad your knees if the floor is hard.
Common mistakes
- Pushing the hips back so it becomes a bow.
- Doing only the top few inches of the movement.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Knee Push-Up, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Inverted Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press Same push session: it trains the front delts.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Barbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Knee Push-Up first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Knee Push-Up 3 × 5 to 30 reps
- Inverted Row 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Barbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Machine Chest Press
Machine
Less load on the wrist
Dumbbell Bench Press
The Knee Push-Up loads the wrist by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Push-Up.
Other variations of the Push-Up: Incline Push-Up, Deficit Push-Up, Pike Push-Up, Diamond Push-Up and Archer Push-Up.
Its variations: Wall Push-Up.
Do before it: Wall Push-Up (same movement, lighter), Scapular Push-Up (shoulder blades), Knee Push-Up (same movement, lighter) and Incline Push-Up (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Knee Push-Up is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Knee Push-Up?
Set up: Kneel on a mat, place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and walk them forward until your body is straight from head to knees. Steps: 1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes. 2. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled back. 3. Push back up to straight arms. Form cues: Keep a straight line from head to knees. Lower the chest, not the head. Pad your knees if the floor is hard. Common mistakes: Pushing the hips back so it becomes a bow. Doing only the top few inches of the movement.
What muscles does the Knee Push-Up work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the triceps and abs on the way.
What can I do instead of the Knee Push-Up?
At home: Dumbbell Bench Press. In a gym: Machine Chest Press. With less load on the wrist: Dumbbell Bench Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Knee Push-Up with?
Good partners in the same workout are Inverted Row, Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Upright Row and Barbell Shrug.