Push-ups are a classic body-weight exercise known for being tough. While they can be challenging, they're also highly effective.
Push-ups engage multiple muscle groups at once and offer a range of other functional benefits. Plus, they're easy to adjust for any fitness level.
If you are just starting out, it may be challenging to know where to start. This article will explain how to do push-ups correctly, including their variations and how many you should do.
What Muscles Do Push-Ups Work?
When you do a push-up, you work several muscles in your upper body, including your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Push-ups also engage muscles in the back and biceps, but the exercise mainly supports your triceps and chest during the pushing motion.
Push-ups also activate your core stabilizers, such as abs and the small muscles along your spine. With proper push-up form, these muscles help prevent your lower back from arching. The lower body also plays a role, as your hip flexors and quads help you maintain solid form in a plank position.
What Are the Benefits of Proper Push-Up Form?
Push-ups are a simple yet highly effective exercise that offers a variety of health benefits. They don't require any equipment except floor space, so you can do them anywhere.
Let's look at a few reasons why you should do push-ups.
Push-Ups Work Multiple Muscles at Once
When you're short on time, multifunctional exercise can be a game-changer for your workout routine. That's where a push-up comes in.
It helps target your chest (pectoral muscles), shoulders, triceps, and core muscles. This makes push-ups a compound exercise, which means it engages several muscle groups at the same time.
The push-up helps keep your heart rate up, boosting your cardiac health and strengthening your upper body muscles. Plus, you get a full-body workout in less time since you work so many muscles.
Push-Ups Provide Better Posture
While push-ups help build upper body strength, they also engage your core muscles to keep your body stable. This core activation strengthens the abs, lower back, and hips, which helps support the spine and improve posture. Keeping good form while doing as many push-ups as possible can make everyday movements easier and prevent slouching.
Push-Ups Can Help Prevent Injuries
Research shows that core exercises such as push-ups can reduce the risk of injury and improve athletic performance. However, you don't have to be an athlete to benefit. A strong core helps your body maintain a neutral spine and proper form, whether you exercise or do daily activities.
By teaching your hips, abs, and back to work together, push-ups improve balance and movement efficiency, reducing the risk of muscle strains.
Push-Ups Can Ease Back Pain
Push-ups' core-strengthening benefits can also help reduce back pain. Strong core muscles provide better spine support, improving body movement.
When done with good form, the push-up engages the entire torso, which helps prevent injuries and minimizes discomfort in the lower back. This means you can reduce back pain while building strength.
Push-Ups Help Build Strength for Daily Activities
Strong upper body muscles from push-ups can make life much easier. From carrying groceries to playing with your kids, the benefits of push-ups go beyond fitness levels.
You can improve your functional strength by consistently doing push-ups as part of your workout routine. This makes everyday activities such as lifting objects, opening doors, or even pushing heavy items less challenging.
Push-Ups Support Heart Health
When done in high repetitions or as part of a circuit, push-ups count as cardio exercise, which is great for heart health. Cardio strengthens your heart and improves blood flow.
Regular push-ups can strengthen your heart, improve circulation, and promote better heart function. A 2019 study found that people who do 40 push-ups every day can have fewer heart issues than those who do less than 10.
Push-Ups & Fat Loss
Many people wonder if push-ups burn fat; the answer is yes - when done as part of a well-rounded fitness routine. Push-ups are a high-intensity exercise that increases your heart rate and burns calories, contributing to overall fat loss.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, push-ups can burn seven calories per minute. While they primarily build strength, they can also help with weight loss when combined with cardio and a balanced diet.
How to Properly Do Standard Push-Ups
Want to do a perfect push-up? Here's your step-by-step guide for how to do push-ups safely and effectively.
Start in the Standard Push-Up Position
Start in a high plank position with your hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Spread your fingers to engage your upper body muscles. Extend your legs behind you, with your feet hip-width apart, and engage your core. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your ankles.
Lower Your Body with Control
Slowly bend your elbows, lowering your body toward the ground. Your elbows should point at a 45-degree angle, not straight out to the sides or back. Make sure your hips and shoulders move together, keeping your body in a straight line.
Go as Low as You Can
Lower your body as far as you can while maintaining that straight line. The goal is to touch your chest to the ground eventually, but don't force it if you're not there yet.
Pause, Then Push Back Up
Once you reach the bottom, pause briefly. Then, press through the palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting position. Ensure your body moves as one unit, and keep your core braced to prevent your hips from sagging or lifting.
This completes one standard push-up. The number of reps you should do depends on your fitness level. However, you should do as many push-ups as possible until your muscles are fatigued. Stop when you feel like you could only do two or three more push-ups with good form.
For beginners, experts recommend starting with three sets of push-ups two to three times a week. Avoid doing push-ups every day, as giving your muscles time to recover is important. Doing push-ups every other day allows you to rest and helps you learn how your body responds to the exercise. If you feel pain or discomfort, take it slow and adjust as needed.
Push-Up Variations & Adjustments
There are numerous ways to tweak your push-ups to make them easier or more challenging. Here are some popular push-up variations - including standard push position - to help you get started.
Incline Push-Up
If you want something easy, try an incline push-up. Put your hands on an elevated surface like a chair, table, or bench. The higher the surface, the less weight you push up, making it easier on your upper body.
For an even simpler version, stand and place your hands against a wall. This reduces stress on your muscles while still effectively engaging them.
Push-Ups on Your Knees
Another way to modify the exercise is by doing push-ups on your knees. Start in the standard push-up position (high plank), then drop your knees to the floor. Shift your body forward slightly so your upper body carries more weight.
To get the most out of it, try eccentric push-ups. Lower yourself slowly to the ground over five seconds, which can help build strength without putting too much stress on your joints.
Spiderman Push-Up
For a more advanced challenge, try the Spiderman push-up. As you lower your body, bring one knee toward your elbow, then extend your leg back as you push up. This variation adds a stability challenge by removing one point of contact with the ground, and the crunch motion works your oblique muscles.
Don't forget to switch legs with each rep.
Decline Push-Up
The decline push-up increases the difficulty by elevating your feet on a surface like a step or a bench. This variation puts more emphasis on your shoulders and upper chest.
Raise your feet a few inches (about six inches) off the ground, then increase the height as you get stronger. The higher your feet, the harder the push-up becomes.
Clapping Push-Up
The clapping push-up is a plyometric version where you push yourself up with enough force to clap your hands midair. This move is for experienced exercisers, as it requires strength and speed. You can injure yourself easily if you don't do it correctly.
Diamond Push-Up
The diamond push-up form helps target your triceps. Place your hands close together, using your thumbs and index fingers to form a diamond shape on the floor. As you lower yourself, keep your elbows close to your sides, which will shift more focus onto your triceps.
Push-Up with Lat Row
This variation includes dumbbells to engage your back muscles. Perform a standard push-up with hands gripping dumbbells instead of being flat on the ground.
At the top of each rep, pull one dumbbell to your chest in a rowing motion, alternating sides. This increases the intensity and targets your core and lats.
Medicine Ball Push-Up
For another stability challenge, try the medicine ball push-up. Perform a push-up with one hand on a medicine ball, which changes your range of motion and forces your shoulders to work harder.
You can also alternate hands between reps by rolling the ball from one side to the other.
Common Mistakes
It's easy to make mistakes with push-ups, especially if you're fatigued or haven't built enough core strength yet. To avoid injury and ensure you do the exercise properly, look for these common issues. If you can't maintain the right form, switch to an easier variation.
Sagging in the Middle
One of the most common push-up mistakes is sagging in the middle. This happens when your core isn't engaged, and you can't keep your torso stiff throughout the movement.
If your hips sag, it's a sign you're losing form. A good way to fix this is by practicing a modified plank to build core strength.
Once you master that, do push-ups on your knees while keeping your torso stable. This will help you push up properly and target the right muscles.
Improper Neck Alignment
In all exercises, neck alignment is key. During push-ups, it should stay neutral, meaning your head should be in a straight line with your spine. Keep your eyes focused on the floor and the top of your head pointing away from your feet.
If you lift your chin too high or drop your head so low that you can see your toes, your neck is out of alignment, which can lead to strain.
Locked Elbows
Locking your elbows at the top of the movement is another mistake, especially when you're tired and want to rest. This puts too much stress on your joints and could lead to injury.
Therefore, it's best to keep your elbows slightly bent. If you're too fatigued to maintain proper form, take a break before doing another set. You'll get better results by working within your fitness level rather than pushing too hard.
Hands Too Far Forward
If your hands are placed too far forward, i.e., beyond shoulder width, you're putting unnecessary strain on your shoulders.
While adjusting hand placement can target different muscles, they should still be directly under your shoulders to reduce the risk of injury. To push up properly, ensure your hands are positioned shoulder-width apart.
Limited Range of Motion
To maximize the benefits of push-ups, you need to use the full range of motion. If you only lower your body halfway, you're not effectively working your upper body muscles.
It's better to switch to an easier variation, like knee push-ups or incline push-ups, to perform the exercise with proper form and a full range of motion.
How Many Push-Ups Should You Do?
The number of push-ups you should do can vary based on your fitness level and goals. If you're a beginner, you should perform 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps with proper form. As you get stronger, you can increase the number of reps or sets. For advanced exercisers, 20 or more push-ups per set can be ideal.
Remember that quality is more important than quantity. Proper form helps you avoid injury and maximize results.
Conclusion
It takes time to get better at push-ups. However, with the right approach, you can make swift progress. Maintain proper form, gradually increase your reps, and challenge yourself with more advanced variations as you improve.
Push-ups are an excellent addition to any fitness routine, whether you wish to build strength, improve muscle tone, or support your weight loss goals. Remember to listen to your body and, if necessary, modify the exercise to ensure it is done safely and effectively.
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