The push-up is an excellent exercise for anyone and can be incorporated into any routine. It works for several muscle groups simultaneously, including the arms, chest, abs (core), hips, and legs.
There are many ways to incorporate push-ups into your workout plan, but one vital thing is ensuring you are doing them correctly. While some advanced lifters can get away with performing a few push-ups without engaging the majority of their muscle, this isn’t the best way to build strength.
Achieving proper form with push-ups can be a challenge, especially for those new to the exercise or just beginning their fitness journey. However, by following the tips below, you can be sure to get the most out of your push-up sessions.
Position: Keep your body straight and keep the balls of your feet on the ground as you perform the exercise. This will help you focus on the stabilizer muscles and keep your back healthy, says Codio.
Modifications:
You can also modify the difficulty of your push-ups by adjusting your hand placement, tempo, or angles. For example, by changing your hand positions or switching up the push-up speed, you can increase your intensity and target specific muscles.
In addition, by altering the speed of your movement, you can increase the time you are under tension, which helps increase muscle activation.
Start with push-ups:
If you’re starting or are not entirely comfortable with doing push-ups, do a few sets of 10 to improve your stamina. Then, add a couple of reps to your sets each week until you do a complete set of 20.
Try different variations:
If you aim to gain more strength in the chest, you can do a modified push-up where you extend your elbows and kick them back as if you were going to do a deadlift. This can be done using dumbbells or a bar.
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Another variation is a renegade row, where you bend over at the waist and use a dumbbell. You can even use a TRX for this move or hold a bench or table with your hands while you perform the exercise.
Doing push-ups to exhaustion is a great way to discover your baseline number of push-ups, recommends Stonehouse. By doing a single set of this number of push-ups for a week, you can determine where you are and create smaller goals that can be completed more sustainably.
The push-up is a great exercise to build your core and upper-body strength, according to Atkins. The strength you build in your chest, triceps, and shoulder will carry over to other exercises.
You can easily incorporate this movement into your regular fitness regimen by adding it to your daily or weekly routine. Just practice proper form and give your muscles enough rest and recovery.
