Muscles worked
Knee push-ups use your chest, the front of your shoulders and your triceps, just like push-ups on your toes. The difference is leverage. With your knees as the pivot, your arms carry a smaller share of your body weight, so you can manage more reps through the full range. Your abs and glutes still hold the line from knees to head, but with a shorter body your trunk has an easier job too. It builds the press and body control for the full version.
Common mistakes
- Your knees are on a hard floor. Sore knees then tend to end the set before a tired chest does. Put a folded towel or a thick mat under your knees.
- Your upper back sags at the top. If your chest hangs between your shoulder blades when your arms are straight, the muscles around them switch off. Push the floor away at the top so your upper back rounds slightly, without your hips following.
- You stay on your knees too long. Many keep doing the knee version long after it has become easy. Start each set with a few reps on your toes and finish on your knees.
Variations and alternatives
- Incline push-ups are another easy step, on your toes with your hands on a bench. Lower the support in small steps as you get stronger.
- Push-ups on your toes are the next goal, once the knee version no longer challenges you.
- The machine chest press lets you pick exactly the resistance you need in the gym, if even knee push-ups are too hard.
Sets and reps
Aim for three sets of 10 to 15 reps through the full range. If you manage fewer than five, use incline push-ups with a high support for now. Treat it as a step on the way, not a goal. The guide to sets and reps explains how to choose.
A good route to push-ups on your toes: lower yourself on your toes over three to four seconds, drop your knees at the bottom and press up from there. Add reps first, then more lowerings on your toes per set. That is how progressive overload works when your body is the weight. If your knees hurt despite the padding, stop and get a doctor or physiotherapist to check them.