Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Kneeling Push-Up (Male): How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The kneeling push-up (male) is a bodyweight exercise targeting the pectorals, with secondary emphasis on the triceps and shoulders. It is performed from a kneeling position, making it a less challenging variation of the standard push-up, suitable for building foundational upper body strength.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Triceps
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the kneeling push-up (male)
Front view: muscles worked by the kneeling push-up (male). Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the kneeling push-up (male). Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the kneeling push-up (male)

  1. Step 1: Start by kneeling on the ground with your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
  2. Step 2: Extend your legs behind you, resting on the balls of your feet, so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
  3. Step 3: Engage your core and lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
  4. Step 4: Continue lowering until your chest is just above the ground, then push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the kneeling push-up (male) by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Kneeling Push-Up (Male) alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.