When you do a push-up correctly, you are working muscles in your arms, chest and shoulders. In standard prone position, put your feet shoulder width apart and place your hands flat on the floor with fingers facing forward. Your hands are also shoulder width apart. Extend your arms from your shoulders, and pull your shoulders and upper back down so they are not rounded or hunched. Hold your abs in so your hips don't sag and keep your face down with your neck straight, says Rob DeStefano, lead author of "Muscle Medicine." Lead with your chest as you lower until your elbows reach 90 degrees, before pushing back up.
Primary Muscles
The primary muscles you work when you do a push-up are your pectorals, triceps, and your anterior and medial deltoids, according to the American Council on Exercise. Your pectoral, or chest, muscles originate in your collarbone, breastbone and the cartilage of the ribs near your breastbone. They raise your top six ribs when your arm is elevated. Triceps run along the back of your arm and play a supporting role in your shoulder action. They also work to straighten your elbow. Your deltoids are the triangular shaped muscles at the back of your shoulder that help you raise your arms and produce the rounded contour of your shoulder. The medial deltoid muscle's main job is to draw your humerus, or upper arm bone, to 90 degrees. The anterior deltoid is involved in medial rotation, horizontal movement and flexion, or the bending movement at the joint, of your humerus.
Secondary Muscles
Several secondary upper-body muscles are worked when you complete a push-up. You hit your posterior deltoid, which is involved in the extension, horizontal movement and lateral rotation of your humerus. You also work your rotator cuff, which consists of the tendons and muscles that stabilize your shoulder, and your rhomboids, which retract and rotate your scapula, or shoulder bones. The serratus anterior, which protract and rotate your scapula laterally, is worked as well.
Core Muscles
You work three core muscles secondarily while you do a push-up, according to ACE Fitness. These are the erector spinae, rectus abdominus and transverse abdominus. Your erector spinae extends the length of your back and is used to rotate the back. Your rectus abdominus is the long abdominal muscle that you use to flex your trunk. Your transverse abdominus supports your abdominal wall.
Leg Muscles
You even get a little bit of lower body work in when you do a push-up because the gluteus maximus and quadriceps are both secondary muscles used in the exercise, according to ACE Fitness. The gluteus maximus, more commonly called glutes or butt muscles, extend and rotate your hips laterally. Your quadriceps cover the front of your thigh and are used to extend your legs at your knees. They are used for almost every activity involving the legs, including walking and standing.
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