Looking for a simple, effective exercise you can do almost anywhere?
The push-up (or the press-up) is a fundamental, bodyweight exercise that can activate all the muscles in human body. A single push-up activates chest muscles, triceps, biceps, and core.
Why Do Push-ups?
Versatile
However, there are more than 100 types of pushups. Besides targeting almost every muscle in your upper body, you can add a new dimension to your training sessions!
People have been doing push-ups for at least 100 years, and probably for thousands!
You can perform push-ups in almost any environment too – in your flat, in the park, in a forest or on the street, on the road, in the mud, or even under water.
The variations are endless! You might invent new push-up as the time goes by, and as you discover new angles, possibilities, and adjustments as well. This exercise is excellent for whole body strength, and the development and strengthening of your mental strength too.
Variations May Improve Results
You don’t want to activate only the same part of your body, right?
Once you’ve mastered the basic technique of the regular grip push-up, consider using different types of push-ups in your workouts. This will usually mean trying different hand widths/placements and push-up styles.
From Beginner To Elite Athlete
Learning Proper Technique
Common Push-up Mistakes
The picture featured with this post of the skier at the top of the ski hill doing push-ups is great, but how you suggest he improves his form?
Read below to learn how to do a regular grip push-up and then find out the simple fix that will improve your form!
What’s Your Fitness Level?
You need to know your fitness level and what exercises will work best for you first (please read our disclaimer). And always master the basic techniques before moving onto variations and more advanced techniques!
No one starts training with a one-hand push-up, but there are many wonderful variations to learn after mastering the classic (regular grip) push-up.
Just Starting?
If you’re struggling to perform the classic (regular grip) push-up, start by perfecting your knee push-up first.
The following video provides tons of good tips for starting out.
How Many Push-Ups?
Many beginners wonder how many push-ups to do per day, per workout, per set, etc. But in terms of the number of repetitions, it really depends on the exercise and your training level. If you are a beginner, 10 repetitions is excellent.
But if you are an advanced or elite practitioner, we recommend that you perform various types of push-ups, and at least 20 repetitions per set. You should perform a minimum of 5 different types of push-ups. Perform 3-5 sets for great results.
Frequency
Some people will do push-ups daily, while some will alternate days between rest and push-ups.
6 Important Push-Up Styles
Regular Grip (Classic) Push-Up
The classic push-up/press-up.
Technique:
- Lying on the ground, place your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers forward.
- Your fingertips should be almost directly underneath the shoulders.
- Your elbows will be touching (or almost touching) the sides of your body. Many people will flare out their elbows, which is considered less than optimal.
- Tighten your core, like you’re doing the plank position on the ground, making sure your legs are touching each other and keeping the elbows next to your body.
- Keeping your core muscles tight, lift your body up and breathe out as you push up to the top position.
- Start lowering your body with control and breathe in as soon as your chest touches the inside of your hands.
- Remember to keep your elbows in line with with the sides of your torso!
Mistakes and tips:
- Fully extend your arms in the top position, otherwise, it is not a full push-up.
- Do not flex your neck. Keep it neutral.
- In top position, your arms should about be directly underneath your shoulders.
- Do not scrunch your shoulders up. The shoulders should sit like they would with good posture.
- The top position should look like you’re doing a plank.
- You are allowed to create slight space between your biceps and ribs as you go down.
- Instead of breathing out while pushing up, you can hold the top position and breath out, doing a brief full-arm plank
Knee Push-Up
This is a very popular exercise for beginners. It targets your chest muscles, delts, and triceps.
Technique:
- Kneel, keeping your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and cross your legs for better balance.
- Start lowering your body until your chest is few inches off the ground and inhale.
- Contracting the rear part of your body, return to the starting position and exhale.
Mistakes and tips:
- Your chest must come 2-3 inches off the ground, otherwise, it is cheating.
- Do not sway your glutes forward or backward.
- Make sure your arms are in the line with your shoulders for maximum effect.
Diamond Push-Up
This is a great exercise to target your triceps muscles, but it also targets your chest.
Technique:
- Assume the triangle position with your hands, keeping them in the line with the center of your chest. Assume the plank position, making sure your legs are touching each other and keeping the elbows next to your body.
- Keeping your core muscles tight, start lowering your body with control and breathe in as soon as your chest touches the dorsal side of your hands.
- Lift your body up and breathe out as you return to the starting position.
Mistakes and tips:
- You must fully extend your arms in the starting position. Otherwise, it is cheating.
- Do not flex your neck.
- Do not put your arms above or under the level of the center of your chest.
Wide Grip Push-Up
If you really want to burn your chest muscles, wide grip push-ups are your best friend!
Technique:
- Assume the plank position keeping your hands more than shoulder-width apart.
- Start lowering your body pushing your elbows to the sides and inhale as your chest get close to the bottom.
- Lift your body up and return slowly to the starting position. Exhale on the top of the movement.
Mistakes and tips:
- Keep your hands wide but do not rotate them to the inside.
- Make sure to keep your arms as wide as possible.
- Lower your glutes simultaneously with the upper part of your body, no sinking, and no pike up.
One-Hand Push-Ups
This is an exercise for advanced practitioners. You will need some balance and power but you will strengthen your hands like a pro.
Technique:
- Assume the top push-up position with your feet out wide and move one hand from the ground to your thigh just above your knee.
- Descend into the push-up until the same side pectoral muscle is just off the floor, keeping your opposite side shoulder slightly elevated if necessary for better balance generating tension from the triceps, thigh and core muscles. Breathe in as you reach the bottom.
- Press strongly back up to full arm extension.
- Repeat for the recommended number of reps and perform the same number of repetitions for the opposite side – you need equal power on both of your sides.
Mistakes and tips:
- There is no need to keep another hand on the thigh if your balance is excellent.
- You can perform more repetitions for the weaker side of your body in some extreme cases.
- Try to keep your legs together when you master the technique.
Fingertip Push-Ups
Someone who really wants to strengthen forearm extensors and flexors should try this exercise out. Such kind of push-ups will make your fingers stronger and improve your calisthenics. It is recommended for expert practitioners.
Technique:
- Assuming the plank position, put your fingers on the ground and imagine you want to grab the floor with your fingers in this position, keeping your arms wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Start lowering your chest towards the ground and breathe in as you reach bottom position.
- Press strongly back contracting the rear side of your body, return to the starting position, and breathe out.
Mistakes and tips:
- Don’t just put fingertips under your body, grabbing the ground increases difficulty.
- There is no need to fully extend your arms, just make sure you reach starting position by simultaneous action of glutes, lower back, and hamstring muscles.
- Decrease or increase hand width for more difficulty.
Use Obstacles And Equipment To Your Advantage
You can increase the difficulty by adding some tools into your training sessions.
Try to adding a medicine ball, Swiss ball, plyo box, treadmill, TRX suspension trainer, even a chair might come in handy, an elevated surface is a great way to increase the difficulty of your push-ups! And don’t forget wonderful push-up bars! Let’s start building these Hulk hands of yours!
Final Word
Push-ups, one of the most popular exercises, only requires one thing – iron will.
Start training, learn proper form, and then increase the number of your repetitions as the time goes by.
Your body will grow, and your mental power and toughness may reach critical levels.
Remember – your brain is the most important muscle when it comes to push-ups. So persuade yourself you can and it’ll be smooth sailing!
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