Can push-ups build muscles like the gym?
Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Push-ups can match bench press gains in chest and triceps growth—even with no external weight.
Most people assume barbells are necessary for measurable muscle growth. This study proves bodyweight training, when scaled correctly, can be just as effective.
Practical Takeaways
If you want to build chest and triceps without equipment, do 3 sets of push-ups to failure, 2x/week—adjust difficulty with knee bends or hand elevation to match 40% of your 1RM bench press.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Push-ups can match bench press gains in chest and triceps growth—even with no external weight.
Most people assume barbells are necessary for measurable muscle growth. This study proves bodyweight training, when scaled correctly, can be just as effective.
Practical Takeaways
If you want to build chest and triceps without equipment, do 3 sets of push-ups to failure, 2x/week—adjust difficulty with knee bends or hand elevation to match 40% of your 1RM bench press.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness
Year
2017
Authors
N. Kikuchi, K. Nakazato
Related Content
Claims (5)
If you do push-ups or bench presses with light weights until you can't do another rep, twice a week for two months, your arms and chest will grow just as much — so push-ups can be just as good as gym machines for building muscle, if you push yourself just as hard.
You can make push-ups easier or harder by changing how you do them—like bending your knees or putting your hands on a raised surface—to match the same effort as lifting 40% of your max bench press weight, so you can still build strength without any gym equipment.
If you're a young guy who's never lifted much before, doing push-ups and light bench presses until you can't do any more, twice a week for two months, will make you just as strong on the bench press as if you were lifting heavier weights — and you don't even need dumbbells or barbells.
Doing push-ups with light weights until you can't do more doesn't make your biceps bigger, but doing the same kind of light-weight bench presses does — so your arms respond differently to these two exercises.
Doing light weight exercises until you can't do any more for 8 weeks won't make your arms stronger or more powerful if you're new to lifting — you probably need to lift heavier or move faster to see real gains.