Push Ups
Overview of the exercise
Push-ups are one of the most basic yet effective exercises that can be done with just your bodyweight. The push-up targets several muscle groups, including the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core. Not only do push-ups help to build muscle strength, but they also improve endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned fitness enthusiast, push-ups can be modified to suit your fitness level, making them an excellent exercise for all fitness levels.
Exercise Profile:
Muscle Group Targeted: Chest
Equipment: Machine
Mechanics: Compound
Experience Level: Beginner
Secondary Muscles hit: Shoulders, Triceps
Instructions:
- Start by getting into a plank position on the floor. Place your hands shoulder-width apart, directly under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line, with your feet together and your core engaged.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body. Your chest should come close to the floor.
- Push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms. Keep your body in a straight line and your core engaged throughout the exercise.
- Repeat the push-up movement for the desired number of reps. It is important to maintain proper form throughout the exercise.
- To make the exercise easier, you can do push-ups on your knees. Keep your feet on the floor and your hands on the floor, but with your knees on the floor instead of your toes.
- To make the exercise more challenging, you can do push-ups with your feet elevated on a bench or other surface.
- Remember to breathe throughout the exercise. Exhale as you lower yourself, and inhale as you push back up.
- Take rest between the sets if you are feeling fatigued or if your form is starting to suffer.
- Remember to listen to your body and stop the exercise if you experience pain or discomfort.
- Incorporate push-ups into your workout routine to improve your upper body strength, core stability and overall fitness.
Push Up Tips
- Start with proper form: Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your elbows close to your body and your back straight.
- Engage your core: Tightening your core muscles will help stabilize your body and protect your lower back.
- Keep your neck neutral: Avoid straining your neck by keeping it in line with your spine.
- Lower slowly: Take 2-3 seconds to lower your body, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Push through your chest: As you push up, focus on engaging your chest muscles to perform the exercise correctly.
- Vary your hand positions: Changing the position of your hands can target different muscle groups, such as close-grip push-ups for triceps or diamond push-ups for the chest.
- Progress slowly: Start with a lower number of reps and gradually increase as you build strength.
- Mix it up: Incorporate push-ups into a full-body workout routine and also add some variation by doing incline/decline, single arm or even plyometric push-ups to target different muscle group and to keep it challenging.
- Rest and recovery: Allow yourself adequate rest time between workout sessions to give your muscles time to recover and grow stronger.
- focus on quality over quantity: Rather than cranking out as many push-ups as you can, focus on maintaining proper form and technique throughout the exercise.
