Strength training: how to do a press-up for a strong upper body

Woman performing a press up

Credit: Getty

Strong Women


Strength training: how to do a press-up for a strong upper body

By Jessica Harris

Updated 4 years ago

There is so much more to the humble press-up than meets the eye. Read our expert guide on how mastering your form and improving overall core strength will help you build a good foundation for your press-up strength training

There’s nothing quite like the words “drop and give me 10” to spark fear in even the most hardy gym-goers. Along with the burpee, a full press-up is one of the most dreaded exercises among women so it’s not surprising that we do fewer press-ups than men. Historically regarded as a macho move, the simple exercise has long held a strangely masculine mystique. As the go-to exercise for bodybuilders, it became the poster activity for building muscle. 

But press-ups are a fast and effective exercise for building strength, with the added benefit that they can be done from virtually anywhere and don’t require any equipment.

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