Desk push-up

Upper back & chest · Standing · about 30 seconds · Updated 23 October 2026

A desk push-up is a push-up against the edge of a sturdy desk: hands a little wider than your shoulders, feet back until your body is straight, then lower your chest toward the desk and push away. It works the chest, shoulders and the backs of the arms without getting down on the floor.

The Moveful figure doing the desk push-up — The desk push-up as the Moveful figure demonstrates it. The pink glow shows the area it works.

How to do the desk push-up

Only on a desk that won't move: hands on its edge, a little wider than your shoulders.
Walk your feet back until your body is one straight line from head to heels.
Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the desk, then push back.

What it works

Chest
Shoulders
Backs of the arms

How long and how often

In a movement break it's 8 slow reps, about 30 seconds in total, and it can come up in the “Neck & shoulders”, “Upper back & chest” and “Full-body reset” classes. It's meant to be repeated through the day in short breaks rather than done once; doing it regularly matters more than the exact timing.

Tips

Body in one line
Elbows back, not out
Lower slowly

Who should skip it

Shoulder dislocation or instability
Wrist pain, numbness or carpal tunnel
Poor balance or a fall risk: choose a seated move instead (Moveful does this for you when it's ticked in the health check)

Move gently, in a comfortable range. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness, tingling or dizziness.

Try it with the guided 3D figure →