Form Guide

How to Fix Flared Elbows on Pushups

Elbow flare is the single most common pushup error. It feels easier, looks fine to a beginner, and quietly grinds the front of the shoulder for years. The good news: it is also one of the easiest cues to relearn. Two weeks of focused practice usually rewires the pattern.

Here is exactly why it happens, why it matters, and the step-by-step fix.

What "flared elbows" actually means

In a pushup, your upper arm forms an angle with your torso when viewed from above. Three common positions:

• Flared: elbows at 80 to 90 degrees from the ribs. The upper arms form a "T" with the torso.
• Neutral (recommended): elbows at roughly 45 degrees from the ribs. The upper arms form an "A" shape.
• Tucked: elbows at 10 to 20 degrees from the ribs, brushing the sides. This is the diamond or close-grip position.

Flared elbows happen because the chest is doing all the work and the shoulder dumps into internal rotation to find leverage. It feels normal because the load distributes "evenly" across the front of the shoulder, but that even distribution is on tissues that do not love compression.

Why flared elbows hurt the shoulder

When your arm is internally rotated and abducted (out to the side), the head of the humerus sits closer to the underside of the acromion. Add bodyweight pressing through the joint and the supraspinatus tendon and biceps tendon get pinched repeatedly. This is the textbook setup for subacromial impingement.

The 45-degree tuck moves the humerus out of that compressed position and lets the chest, front delt, and triceps share the load.

Step by step: the fix

1. Reset your hand position. Place hands flat, slightly wider than shoulders, fingers spread, middle fingers pointing straight forward. Hands too wide encourage flare. Hands too narrow load the triceps too much.
2. Externally rotate the shoulders. Without lifting your hands, try to screw them outward into the floor (right hand clockwise, left hand counterclockwise). Your elbow pits should rotate forward to face the front of the room.
3. Pack the shoulder blades. Pull them down and back, away from the ears. This activates the lats and stabilizes the shoulders.
4. Aim elbows at the back pockets. As you descend, the elbows should travel back and slightly out, not straight out. Aim them at your back pockets, not at the walls beside you.
5. Use the hand-stagger drill. Move your hands slightly closer than usual (true shoulder-width). The narrower stance makes flaring nearly impossible and forces the elbows into the right path. Do 2 weeks of pushups in this position.
6. Add tempo work. 3 sets of 8 pushups with a 3-second descent and 1-second press. Slow reps force conscious elbow control. Speed is where bad habits hide.
7. Film yourself. Set your phone on the floor in front of you. Watch the elbow angle from above. The visual feedback closes the loop faster than any cue.

Common mistakes when fixing flare

1. Over-correcting into a fully tucked position

Why it happens: someone reads "tuck the elbows" and pins them to the ribs, turning every pushup into a diamond pushup.

Fix: 45 degrees is the target, not zero. Your upper arms should form an "A" shape, not parallel lines.

2. Lowering only halfway to "feel" the tuck

Why it happens: in a half-rep, elbows stay close to neutral by default because they have not had time to drift out.

Fix: always full range, chest to a fist's height off the floor. Cheating the range to fake good form is still bad form.

3. Letting the shoulders unpack as you fatigue

Why it happens: the shoulder blades creep up toward the ears as the set wears on, and the elbows start to flare with them.

Fix: end the set the rep before the blades unpack. If you do not know what that looks like, film it.

4. Trying to fix flare on max-effort sets

Why it happens: at the edge of failure, the body uses whatever pattern is fastest, not whatever pattern is best.

Fix: drop volume by 30% during the relearning phase. Sub-maximal sets ingrain the new pattern. Once it is automatic, ramp volume back up.

The hand-stagger drill, in detail

For two weeks, place your hands at true shoulder-width (not wider). Perform all your pushups in this position. Because the hands are closer, flaring becomes mechanically awkward. Your elbows will naturally find the 45-degree path. After two weeks, return to a slightly wider stance and you will find the new pattern sticks.

When to see a professional

If you already have anterior shoulder pain when you press, stop pushing through pain and see a physiotherapist. Form correction helps prevent future damage, but existing impingement or rotator cuff irritation needs proper assessment before you load it again.

Frequently asked questions

Are flared elbows actually bad?

Yes. Elbows flared to 90 degrees put the shoulder in maximum internal rotation under load, pinching the subacromial space. Over time, this commonly produces anterior shoulder pain.

What is the correct elbow angle on a pushup?

Roughly 45 degrees from the ribs. This balances chest, shoulder, and tricep contribution while keeping the shoulder safe.

Why do my elbows flare when I'm tired?

The chest and triceps fatigue, and the body recruits the front delt by flaring. Stop the set when form breaks rather than grinding ugly reps.

Can I fix elbow flare in one session?

You can feel the correct position immediately, but ingraining the new pattern takes 2 to 4 weeks of consistent practice.