Push up / Press up — Muscles Worked & RPE Load Guide
Push up / Press up targets Chest as primary movers (1.0× set credit) alongside Triceps Brachii, Shoulders (0.5× synergist credit). Leverage-dependent resistance arc across joint flexion.
17-Muscle Fractional Recruitment & Weekly MEV–MRV Landmarks
Each working set ≥ RPE 6 triggers fractional hard-set credit toward Renaissance Periodization / Schoenfeld weekly hypertrophy landmarks.
| Muscle Group | Mechanical Role | Effort Share | Weekly Optimal Band (MEV–MAV) | Frequency & Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest (Pectoralis Major) | Primary (1.0× set) | 50% | 10–20 sets/wk (MRV 22) | 2–4x / week · Evidence |
| Triceps Brachii | Secondary (0.5× set) | 30% | 6–14 sets/wk (MRV 18) | 2–4x / week · Evidence |
| Shoulders (Deltoids) | Secondary (0.5× set) | 20% | 8–22 sets/wk (MRV 26) | 2–6x / week · Evidence |
Push up / Press up Worked Wathan RPE Prescription Table (kg)
Weighted bodyweight movement: worked kg values reflect Total System Load (Bodyweight + Added Belt Weight) for a worked 100.0 kg reference 1RM (Barbell). Mechanics: Relative bodyweight kinematics & core bracing; resistance curve: Leverage-dependent resistance arc across joint flexion.
| Reps | RPE 9.5 | RPE 9 | RPE 8.5 | RPE 8 | RPE 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 reps | 0 kg (90%) | 0 kg (88%) | 0 kg (85%) | 0 kg (85%) | 0 kg (82%) |
| 5 reps | 0 kg (82%) | 0 kg (82%) | 0 kg (80%) | 0 kg (80%) | 0 kg (78%) |
| 8 reps | 0 kg (75%) | 0 kg (75%) | 0 kg (75%) | 0 kg (72%) | 0 kg (70%) |
| 10 reps | 0 kg (72%) | 0 kg (70%) | 0 kg (70%) | 0 kg (70%) | 0 kg (68%) |
| 12 reps | 0 kg (68%) | 0 kg (68%) | 0 kg (68%) | 0 kg (68%) | 0 kg (65%) |
Strong, Hevy & French/English CSV Import Labels
STRUGGL automatically maps these exact workout-tracker strings to canonical Push up / Press up volume and e1RM records on zero-login Wrapped CSV upload.
Taken-Rack Substitutes & Biomechanical Swaps
Ranked deterministically by weighted primary-muscle overlap inside the same measurement family.
Verified Peer-Reviewed Literature (PubMed & DOI)
| Peer-Reviewed Paper | Author & Journal | External Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Push-Ups vs. Bench Press Differences in Repetitions and Muscle Activation between Sexes. | Alizadeh (2020) · Journal of sports science & medicine | PubMed 32390722 ↗ |
| Muscle activity levels in upper-body push exercises with different loads and stability conditions. | Calatayud (2014) · The Physician and sportsmedicine | PubMed 25419894 ↗ |
| The moment arms of the muscles spanning the glenohumeral joint: a systematic review. | Hik (2019) · Journal of anatomy | PubMed 30411350 ↗ |