1. The main Italian translation

The simplest answer is: **push ups = flessioni** in Italian. In many fitness settings, Italians will understand this immediately. If you want to be more specific, you can say **piegamenti sulle braccia**, which literally describes the movement of lowering and raising your body using your arms.

In practice, **flessioni** is often the best choice for short labels, workout instructions, and app content. **Piegamenti sulle braccia** sounds a bit more formal or explanatory. Both refer to the standard push-up exercise done from the floor, usually with the body held in a straight line.

2. How to use it in real sentences

Here are a few natural examples: **Faccio 20 flessioni** = “I do 20 push-ups.” **Quante flessioni riesci a fare?** = “How many push-ups can you do?” **Sto migliorando la tecnica delle flessioni** = “I’m improving my push-up technique.”

If you’re talking about a workout plan, you might also hear: **serie di flessioni** (sets of push-ups), **ripetizioni** (reps), **posizione di plank** (plank position), and **petto** (chest). These terms are useful if you’re following Italian workout videos, coaching cues, or written routines.

3. Form cues and what the exercise trains

A proper push-up works several upper-body and core muscles at once, especially the chest, shoulders, triceps, and trunk muscles. Good form matters: keep your body in a straight line, lower with control, and press back up without sagging through the hips. Mayo Clinic and ACE both emphasize controlled movement and body alignment for safer, more effective push-up training.

If you’re learning the exercise, a useful Italian cue is **mantieni il corpo allineato** (“keep the body aligned”). Another is **scendi con controllo** (“lower with control”). If you struggle with full push-ups, you can modify them on your knees or against a wall while building strength and technique.

4. Quick language tips for fitness Italian

In spoken Italian, **flessioni** is the most practical word to remember. **Piegamenti sulle braccia** is accurate too, but longer. In some modern gyms, especially in mixed-language settings, you may even hear **push-up** used directly, but if you want the standard Italian term, stick with **flessioni**.

If you’re using an app or training at home, it can help to count reps and watch form closely. Fitnit can be useful here because its camera-based AI can count push-up reps automatically and provide form analysis to help reduce technique errors during bodyweight training. That makes it easier to practice while also learning the movement vocabulary.

Tips

• Use **flessioni** for the most natural everyday translation of push ups in Italian.
• Use **piegamenti sulle braccia** when you want a more literal or formal phrase.
• To ask about reps, say **Quante flessioni riesci a fare?**
• If you’re learning workout Italian, memorize **ripetizioni**, **serie**, and **tecnica**.
• Focus on form before speed: controlled reps are safer and usually more effective.