Bodyweight Knee Push Ups
A push-up from the knees that reduces the load — the first regression that lets beginners actually train the pressing pattern.
How to do it
- Get on all fours with your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders.
- 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 draw your shoulder blades back and down.
- Lower your chest toward the floor under control, keeping your elbows at about 45 degrees from your torso.
- Pause briefly when your chest is just above the floor, keeping your whole body tight.
- Press up through your palms to full lockout, then reset for the next rep.
Key technique cue
Straight line from head to knees — no piking hips, no sitting back; chest to the floor.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Piking the hips up so the body bends at the waist, which removes most of the chest work.
- ✕ Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees, which loads the front delts and reduces chest involvement.
- ✕ Cutting depth and bouncing through a partial range, which kills strength carryover.
- ✕ Shifting the hips back toward the heels — it turns the push-up into a half stretch.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds chest and triceps strength at a beginner-friendly load.
- ✓ Teaches clean push-up mechanics before moving on to full push-ups.
- ✓ Trains the upper body anywhere without equipment.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Bodyweight Knee Push Ups
- Incline Push Up
- Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip
- Incline Push-Up Wide
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Step 2 -
Step 3 -
Step 4
About the exercise
The Bodyweight Knee Push Up is the first rung on the push-up progression ladder. Dropping to the knees reduces the load enough that beginners can train the pressing pattern with clean mechanics instead of grinding out partial reps from the floor. It still works the chest, triceps, and front delts — just at a load most beginners can actually handle for full sets. It's essential for beginners, women's training programs and post-rehab strength work. It's also useful as a tempo and volume tool for advanced athletes in burnout sets. Together with elevated push-ups, it gives a clean two-step progression to full floor push-ups.
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