Push-ups generally are simple to do if you have the arm strength, but doing a perfect push-up requires keeping your body in a specific form for the entire push-up. As difficult as that might seem, once you build up your strength and get your body used to being that straight, doing the perfect push-up could become second nature to you.
Function
Push-ups are not only a cheap exercise -- you don't need to buy anything to do them -- they also are a total-body strengthener. Tara Parker-Pope of the "New York Times" notes that push-ups work every part of your body, from lifting with your arms to using your abdominal and back muscles to keep you straight. Even your legs get a workout as they have to remain straight throughout the move. Parker-Pope writes that being able to do push-ups not only gives you the strength to push yourself up again if you fall, but also utilizes muscle memory, so that if you do fall, it's much easier for you to automatically put your arms out to stop yourself from hitting the ground face-first. Learning to do a perfect push-up means you're training your body to assume that strong, protective position should you slip and fall.
Setting Up
Start by mastering the beginning and ending position, and you've mastered most of the perfect push-up. The rest depends on bending your arms properly and holding the rest of the form during the up-down motion. Start by kneeling on the ground and placing your hands out in front, like you're imitating a cat. Support your weight on your hands and one knee as you move your other leg back. Shift your weight onto the toes of that leg and move your other leg back as well. You can allow a little space between your feet if you want, but not much. Hold your hands and arms out straight with your hands flat on the ground, fingers relaxed and not curled or crossed. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart or a little more, with the fingers pointing ahead. Don't turn your hands so that the fingers are pointing inward or outward. Shift your body so that your arms extend at about chest-level. Look forward, and draw your shoulders, hips and feet into a line. Don't arch your back. Do this next to a mirror if you want to check your form.
Moving
Slowly lower yourself so that your elbows reach at least a 90-degree angle, but don't let your face hit the ground. Ensure that your back is still straight as you slowly push up to raise your body back to starting position. At this point, especially if you're tired, you might feel like your back is beginning to sag or your rear end is arching up; control this and don't let your back do anything other than remain straight. Don't let your fingers start to lift up, either. Bring yourself back to the same position you had just before you began to lower yourself. Continue looking forward throughout the whole movement.
Variations
While variations of push-ups exist, not all of them would be considered as perfect depending on the requirements of, for example, a particular trainer or exercise coach. The major difference is using your knees instead of toes. Your lower legs shouldn't flail around; try crossing your ankles to brace your legs. Hand position may be flat against the ground palms down or palms up, on fingertips, on knuckles, one-armed, pushing up and clapping during each push-up or, if you have a wrist or hand problem that precludes pressing them into the ground, you can grip hand dumbbells.
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