Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Incline Push Up
2 sets · 10 reps · 25s rest
Hands on a counter, desk, or wall. The higher the surface, the easier the rep.
Steps
Place your hands on a bench or sturdy box, slightly wider than shoulder-width, with arms straight.
Walk your feet back until your body forms a long line from your head to your heels.
Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your hips don't sag or lift through the rep.
Lower your chest toward the bench by bending your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your torso.
Stop just before your chest touches the bench, then press through your palms back to the start.
Lock out the arms at the top with your shoulder blades spread, then start the next rep.
Cues
Body stays long.
Lower with control.
Shoulders away from ears.
Common mistakes
Flaring the elbows out wide, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
Letting the hips sag toward the bench, which removes core tension and overloads the lower back.
Cutting the range short by lowering only halfway, which skips the deepest chest work.
Looking up and craning the neck instead of keeping the head in line with the spine.
2. Bodyweight Knee Push Ups
2 sets · 8 reps · 25s rest
The floor version with knees down. Keep the hips from sagging so the work stays in the chest and arms.
Steps
Start on all fours with hands placed slightly wider than shoulder width on the floor.
Walk your hands forward and lower your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to knees.
Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
Lower your chest toward the floor under control with elbows tracked at about 45 degrees from your torso.
Pause briefly with your chest just above the floor, keeping full-body tension throughout.
Press back up through the palms until your arms lock out, then reset for the next rep.
Cues
Knees under hips.
One long line.
Chest leads down.
Common mistakes
Letting the hips pike up so the body bends at the waist, which removes most of the chest work.
Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
Cutting the depth short and bouncing off a partial range, which kills the strength carryover.
Sitting the hips back toward the heels — turns a push-up into a half-rep stretch.
3. Push Up
2 sets · 5 reps · 30s rest
The full push-up. Stop the set the moment the hips drop rather than pushing out sloppy reps.
Steps
Set up in a high-plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width and arms locked.
Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Lower your chest slowly toward the floor over 2 to 3 seconds, keeping the elbows at about 45 degrees.
Stop when your chest hovers just above the floor, holding the bottom briefly with full body tension.
Press back up by driving the floor away through the palms until the arms reach full extension.
Reset your breath and repeat for the full set, keeping the body line tight on every rep.
Cues
Elbows track back.
Hips stay level.
Full range, slow.
Common mistakes
Letting the hips sag toward the floor, which removes the core demand and strains the lower back.
Letting the elbows flare to 90 degrees, which strains the front shoulders and reduces chest engagement.
Cutting the depth short and only pressing the top half of the rep instead of touching the chest down.
Letting the head poke forward instead of keeping the neck in line with the spine.