About The Push Up Exercise

Back to the basics! The pushup exercise, although simplistic, is one of the fundamental movements for upper body development. Commonly performed in gym classes and training camps throughout the world, the pushup exercise has become somewhat of a staple exercise amongst the fitness community. Since push ups are classed as a compound movement and can be done anywhere, performing them in attempt to target the chest, triceps, anterior deltoids and the entire core region becomes a practical alternative for those who, for whatever reason, can’t make it to the gym. All factors considered, the convenience of not needing equipment in combination with the progressions available to accommodate a variety of skill levels, make the pushups exercise a must for almost every training program.

Push Ups Video

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How To Do Push Ups

1. While in a prone position, position feet together and arms slightly below shoulder level with palms in contact with the ground. The arms should be wide enough so that the wrist lines up with the elbow.
2. Exhale and while contracting your core muscles to prevent the back from bending, extend arms and drive your body up off the ground. The only points of ground contact should be the palms and toes.
3. Inhale and at a controlled speed, allow arms to flex and lower your body back towards the ground until arms reach a 90 degree angle.
4. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.

Push Ups Variations

Placing additional resistance on the upper back region is an effective way to increase the difficulty of the pushup exercise. However, it should be noted that if the resistance is placed too far below shoulder level, low back pain & injury may result.

Performing the pushup exercise with your feet placed atop an exercise ball will increase the need for stability and therefore, additional muscles will be recruited to assist.

Performing the pushup exercise with your knees in contact with the ground decreases both the amount of stability and exerted force needed to complete each repetition. This method is best for beginners.

Placing the feet in an elevated position mimics the mechanics of an incline press and draws more recruitment from the upper region of the pectorals.

Performing the regular push up motion with one hand placed atop a medicine ball will recruit additional muscles to compensate for the uneven surface, decreased stability and the single-arm loading pattern.

Performing the pushup exercise with your arms tucked further into the sides and with both hands placed atop a medicine ball will draw additional recruitment from the triceps. This version also increases the need for stability, which in turn, triggers additional recruitment from the muscles within the core.

Performing the pushup exercise in a quick and explosive motion that causes the hands to temporarily lose contact with the ground is classified as the plyometric version. This method is useful for the development of power and speed.

By flipping over a BOSU trainer, you’ll find a flat but unstable surface that can also be incorporated into certain exercises. Push ups are one of these exercises. When push ups are performed using a BOSU trainer, the need for stabilization is increased.