Push ups are fantastic body weight exercises. Not only do they tone and build muscle in your chest, triceps and shoulders but doing multiple reps, gets your heart rate soaring.
Push ups are perfect for building strength and can be added in to any routine from muscle building to weight loss.
Tips for the perfect push up from head to toe.
Full Push Ups
Head- In line with your spine. You are looking downward.
Arms- Are placed under your chest at shoulder width. A common mistake is to place your arms too far forward, under your shoulders. Doing this puts too much weight in to your shoulders and less emphasis on the pecs, which is what you are trying to work out primarily.
Hands- Fingers facing forward and slightly spread.
Back- Should be straight. You are in a straight line from head to toe. This is called the plank position. Raising your butt makes it too easy (and places more work on the shoulders again) and sinking your lower back will eventually give you low back pain.
Abs- Are tight. Flex your abs and feel strong though out your core
Legs and Feet- Should be in line with your spine. For a full push up you are up on your toes and your feet are together.
To complete the push up place the weight in your hands and the balls of your feet. Now bend at the elbows and lower your body as close to the floor as you can.
The Modified Push UpThe modified push up is the beginner version. If you can't lower your own body weight this variation will be the stepping stone to get you there.
The key differences are:Your knees are on the floor. In this push up you need to make sure you are stretched over your chest so you are still taking the weight in your upper body. If most of your weight is supported on your knees, it will be too easy to progress.
Legs and Feet- Should be crossed over to keep you balanced.
Some people call this a "girl push up." Trust me, girls can do full push ups and boys can do modified. Push ups don't have genders. Mmm k?
Other Push Up VariationsIncline- Place your hands on a step. This makes the push up easier. It is a good transition exercise between modified and full.
Decline- Place your feet on a step. This is harder than the full push up and targets the upper chest a little more.
One Arm- This variation is super hard! It's a push up with one hand. The other arm is usually placed out of the way, behind the back.
Plyometric push up- This is a push up with power. From the lowered half of the push up use all of your force to spring back up to your starting position. Your hands should leave the floor. Some people add a clap for show but this is not necessary.
Push Up to Plank- After you complete a full push up balance on one hand, turn sideways and raise the other arm toward the ceiling. This works the core and improves balance.
Triceps Push Up- Under your chest, make a diamond shape by placing your thumbs and index fingers together. Lower your body while keeping your elbows close to your body. This one is hard. Try it first in modified to make sure you can support your whole weight with your triceps.
Push ups require no equipment and can be done anywhere. They are a staple in any fitness program and should be practiced regularly. There are a ton of variations to experiment with so play around with different types until you find your favourites.
Now hit the deck and give me 20!
1 comments:
Modified Push Ups -As I read your blog post, I couldn’t help but think of the Push-Up Bench as the most effective way for people who struggle with push ups , to be able to do them correctly (with full range of motion). Most modified push-ups make them easier but only allow one or two variations. The Push Up Bench has 11 different levels to work through on the way to a full push-up.
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