You won’t be able to maximize your strength if you don’t perform the pushup correctly, though. Here’s the right way to perform the move:

1. Get down on all fours and place your hands on the floor so that they’re slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Straighten your arms and legs. Your body should form a straight line from you head to your ankles.

2. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes. Hold these contractions for the entire exercise. This keeps your body rigid and doubles as core training.

3. Next, lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, then push yourself back up to the starting position as quickly as possible. Don’t let your hips sag at any point during the movement. If this is too hard, you can place your hands on an elevated surface, such as a step, bench, or even a counter. This reduces the amount of your body weight you have to lift. The higher the surface, the easier the exercise becomes.