A wall push-up is a push-up done standing, with your hands on a wall instead of the floor. You bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall, then push back out. It works the chest, the back of the upper arms and the front of the shoulders with far less load than a floor push-up. That is why it is a common first pushing exercise in shoulder and upper body programs.

How to do the wall push-ups

Stand facing a wall. Place your hands flat on it at about shoulder height, shoulder width apart.
Walk your feet back until you are leaning into your hands with your body in a straight line. Your heels may lift off the floor, as in the video.
Breathe in as you bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the wall. Go as far as is comfortable, with your face coming close to the wall.
Keep your body straight from head to heels. Your hips should not sag toward the wall or stick out behind you.
Breathe out and push firmly back to the start, straightening your elbows.

What you should feel

Work in your chest, the back of your upper arms and the front of your shoulders. Your stomach works a little to hold your body straight.

Common mistakes

Letting the hips sag toward the wall or bending at the waist.
Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears.
Standing so close to the wall that the elbows barely bend.
Placing the hands too high, above shoulder level.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15, a few days a week. Your physio will adjust how far you stand from the wall and the numbers for you.

Stop and check with your physio if

Sharp pain in the shoulder, elbow or wrist.
Pain, numbness or tingling spreads down the arm.
Pins and needles in your arm or hand that do not go away after you stop, or part of your arm or hand goes numb. Get medical advice the same day. If one side of your face or body suddenly goes numb or weak, or your speech becomes slurred or muddled, call emergency services, even if it goes away.
Your feet start to slip on the floor.
A sudden pop or tearing feeling in the shoulder that brings sharp pain, new weakness or trouble lifting the arm. Stop and contact your surgical team the same day, or get medical advice the same day if you have not had surgery.
The shoulder feels as if it has slipped out of place, looks a different shape or suddenly locks so you cannot move the arm, or your hand turns cold, pale or blue. Go to an emergency department straight away, without driving yourself, and do not try to put the shoulder back in yourself.
Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.

From the clinic

Your feet set the difficulty. Step further from the wall and more of your weight goes through your arms. Step closer and it gets easier. Wear shoes with grip, or stand on a mat, because socks on a smooth floor can slide out.

The voice guide says to push back up as quickly as possible. A steadier start is safer: lower with control, and only add speed on the way out once the movement is steady.

If your wrists complain, turn your fingers slightly outward or move your hands a little lower. When wall push-ups feel easy, the usual next step is a push-up with your hands on a kitchen counter, then on a lower surface. After shoulder surgery, including a rotator cuff repair, or after a shoulder fracture or dislocation, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and do only the movements and range they have cleared. Many plans allow only passive movement at first, where the arm is moved for you and its muscles stay relaxed. Putting weight through your arms usually comes later, so check with your physio first.

After a broken or dislocated elbow, or elbow surgery such as a tendon repair, follow your surgeon's or physio's plan, and start this exercise only when they have cleared you. If you have just hurt your arm and have severe pain, cannot move the elbow or heard a snap, do not exercise it. Go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day. If the arm looks a different shape or sits at an odd angle, a bone is showing, or your arm or hand tingles, feels numb or turns cold, pale or blue, go to an emergency department straight away or call emergency services, and do not drive yourself.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Wall push-ups