Push-up variations, easiest to hardest
A standard push-up lifts about 64% of your body weight. Hands on a high box drops that to about 41%, and feet up on one raises it to about 74%. Slide through the six variations to see the load, and enter your weight for the number in kilograms or pounds.
Standard push-up
Peak load per rep: about 48 kg
Loads: Ebben et al., peak force as a share of body weight.
Six steps, one at a time
Ordered by measured load, lightest first.
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Hands on a high box
41%Hands on a kitchen counter or a sturdy table. The lightest load in the study and the place to start if a standard push-up is out of reach.
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From the knees
49%Knees on the floor, body straight from shoulders to knees. Lighter than a standard push-up but heavier than the high box.
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Hands on a low box
55%Hands on a step, a bench or a low box. The last stop before the floor.
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Standard push-up
64%Hands under your shoulders, body in one line from head to heels, chest close to the floor at the bottom.
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Feet on a low box
70%Feet on a step or a low box. More of your weight moves onto your hands.
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Feet on a high box
74%Feet on a chair or a high box. The heaviest variation in the study.
Loads: peak force as a share of body weight, Wurm B, Ebben WP et al. Kinetic analysis of several variations of push-ups. ISBS Conference Proceedings (table 1); published as Ebben WP et al. J Strength Cond Res, 2011. Boxes were 30.48 and 60.96 cm high.
From the counter to the floor
Pick the variation where you can do 8 to 12 clean reps. Keep the same form rules on every step: body in one line, chest close to the support at the bottom, arms straight at the top.
The jump from hands on a 30 cm box to the floor is the biggest one on the ladder. If it feels too far, add slow lowering to the box version first.
Wall push-ups Incline push-ups Diamond push-ups Standard push-up form Push-up test Push-ups for beginners
This page explains technique; it is not medical advice. If you have an injury, a heart condition or pain during the movement, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first, and stop a set that hurts.
Variations, answered
Knees against boxes, when to step up and how exact the numbers are.
Are knee push-ups easier than incline push-ups?
It depends on the height. In the study, knee push-ups were lighter than hands on a 30 cm box and heavier than hands on a 60 cm box.
When should I move to the next variation?
When you can do a couple of clean sets of 10 to 15 reps, try the next step for one set and keep the rest on the old one. Swap fully once the new one feels steady.
Do the percentages depend on my build?
A little. They are averages from young, fit adults, so treat them as a guide to which variation is harder, not an exact number for you.
Climb the ladder, climb the tower
Every full push-up in Pushgard hits a monster.