Chest · Horizontal push

Knee Push-Ups

The knee push-up is a regressed push-up performed with your knees on the floor instead of your toes, which shortens the lever and reduces the load on your arms and chest. It trains the same muscles as a full push-up, the chest, shoulders and triceps, and is the standard way to build the strength to progress.

Also known as: Modified push-ups, Kneeling push-ups, Push-ups on knees

Muscle group: Chest
Movement pattern: Horizontal push
Type: Compound
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Beginner

What muscles does the knee push-ups work?

Primary movers

Pectoralis major
Triceps brachii

Assisting muscles

Anterior deltoid
Serratus anterior
Rectus abdominis

The knee push-up works the same muscles as a regular push-up. The pecs and triceps press you away from the floor, the front delts help, and the serratus anterior keeps the shoulder blades against the ribcage.

Moving the pivot point from the toes to the knees shortens the body's lever. A smaller share of your bodyweight ends up on your hands, which makes the movement easier to complete with a full range.

The core and glutes should still be braced. The body forms a straight line from the knees to the head, so the exercise teaches the same plank position the full push-up needs.

It is the right progression for anyone who cannot yet do a full push-up with good form, and it is much better than doing sloppy full reps with sagging hips.

How to do the knee push-ups

Setup

1
Kneel on a mat and place your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders.
2
Walk your hands forward until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your head.
3
Cross your ankles or keep your feet up, whichever is more comfortable.
4
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes.

Execution

1
Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows.
2
Keep your elbows at about 45 degrees to your body.
3
Lower until your chest is just above the floor.
4
Press through your palms to return to the start.
5
Keep your hips in line with your shoulders and knees throughout.
6
Breathe in on the way down and out on the way up.

Common knee push-ups mistakes

Sagging or piking the hips

A dropped or raised hip breaks the line from knees to head and removes the core work.

The fix: Brace your abs and glutes and keep a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

Flaring the elbows

Elbows out at 90 degrees put stress on the shoulders and weaken the press.

The fix: Tuck the elbows to around 45 degrees from your torso.

Cutting the range short

Half reps are easier, but they train only the top of the movement.

The fix: Lower until your chest nearly touches the floor on every rep.

Staying here too long

Doing high-rep knee push-ups for months does not build the strength needed for the standard version.

The fix: Progress to incline push-ups or negatives once 15 to 20 clean reps feels easy.

How many sets and reps?

Goal	Sets	Reps	Load	Rest
Beginner strength	3	8–12	Bodyweight	60–90 s
Progressing to full	3–4	15–20	Bodyweight, slow lowering	60 s
Warm-up	2	10	Bodyweight	30–45 s

Train it three times a week while you build up. When you can do 15 to 20 clean reps, move on to slow full push-ups where you only lower with control and return to your knees, or an incline version with your hands on a bench. Both bridge the gap more effectively than extra knee reps.

Running the knee push-ups in your next block? Hercules logs every set, shows last session's numbers before you lift, and suggests when to add weight.

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Knee Push-Ups variations and alternatives

Incline Push-Up

Easier

Hands raised on a bench or wall reduces the load further and suits those who find the knee version too hard.

Push-Up

Harder

The standard version, with your weight on the toes and the full lever working.

Slow Negative Push-Up

Harder

Lowering slowly from your toes, then dropping to your knees to press, builds the strength for a full rep.

Pike Push-Up

Alternative

Shifts the emphasis to the shoulders using the same pushing pattern.

Dips

Alternative

Another bodyweight press, though much more demanding on the shoulders.

Frequently asked questions

Are knee push-ups effective?

Yes, for building the strength to do full push-ups. They train the same muscles with less load. They are most useful as a stepping stone and a regression, not a permanent exercise.

Do knee push-ups count as push-ups?

They are a legitimate modified push-up, though they carry less of your bodyweight. A full push-up is harder, so the numbers are not directly comparable.

When should I move from knee push-ups to full push-ups?

When you can do around 15 to 20 clean, full-depth knee reps. Start with a few slow full reps and finish the set on your knees.

What is easier than a knee push-up?

An incline push-up with your hands on a bench, counter or wall. Raising your hands reduces the load more than moving to your knees does.

Why are knee push-ups hard on my wrists?

Weight on extended wrists can be uncomfortable. Try push-up handles, dumbbells with a neutral grip, or place your fingers slightly outward. Warm up the wrists first.

Hercules tracks every knee push-ups you log, shows you last session's numbers before you lift, and flags when your progress stalls.