Salute to the push-up
Simple exercise gives the biggest bang for buck
Drop and give me 20! If you still shudder when you think of the gym teacher’s command for push-ups, it’s time to adjust your attitude and maybe your body alignment.
“Push-ups do so many different things for your body that you really get a lot of bang for your buck,” said Jessica Matthews, exercise physiologist with the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise.
“You don’t need any equipment and you don’t have to belong to a gym. You can do push-ups almost anywhere since you’re using your own body weight as resistance,” she continued. “Push-ups are a very challenging body exercise, but they can be tailored to meet your fitness level.”
The primary muscles used in push-ups include the pectorals (chest), triceps (back of upper arms), and the anterior and middle deltoids (shoulders). The body’s core, including muscles in the abdominals, gluteals and quadriceps, also are used.
“One of the best things about the push-up is that it coordinates all the muscles,” said Kristen Ugrob, fitness director of the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas.
The push-up is a strength-building exercise that can improve muscular endurance but also tones and defines muscles. And, ladies, listen up. Because the push-up is considered a resistance exercise, in addition to muscle strengthening, you also get bone-building benefits. It can be as effective as working out with weights.
Plus, it’s a functional exercise that works the body in ways that help us perform everyday activities better and without injury.
“We use those same muscles of the chest and shoulders to do things like push a grocery cart, swing a tennis racket or mow the lawn,” Matthews said.
Because there are so many variations and
modifications, almost anybody can do push-ups. From standing wall push-ups to one-handed push-ups, there’s one for everyone and always room for progression.
The following push-up modifications are listed here from the easiest beginners’ version to the most challenging. Do the appropriate push-up for your fitness level to help build up your muscle strength and endurance. When you are able to perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps correctly and with proper form, progress to the next version of
Place your palms against a wall, slightly wider than your shoulders with the fingertips pointing up. Back your feet away from the wall about 30 inches. Lean forward, bending your elbows until your nose nearly touches the wall. Push back out. That’s one. Keep your body in a straight line from neck to torso with abdominals pulled in. To make it harder, place your hands on a lower surface such as the edge of a desk or countertop.
Bent knee push-ups: Performing push-ups with knees bent on the floor can reduce the resistance of a traditional on-the-toes push-up. This position trains important shoulder stabilizers and lowers the stress on the lower back and the joints. While you still need to keep a straight line from neck to torso, by engaging the knees you’ll reduce your lifting load by about half.
Incline push-ups: Place hands on an elevated bench or step with your feet or knees on the ground. Lower your chest to the bench and push back up. Keep your core tight the whole time. Some of the resistance and difficulty is reduced by performing push-ups off an elevated surface.
Traditional push-ups: Start in a plank position, or the “up” position of the push-up, with your body in a straight line and your hands just slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Tighten the abdominal muscles as if bracing for a punch, keep the back straight and slowly lower the chest toward the ground. Put a hand weight or rolled up sock or towel under your chest and slowly lower until the sternum touches the object. Then push back up.
Decline push-ups: Elevate feet on a step or bench with hands on the floor. Positioning the feet above the hands makes the exercise more difficult.
Unstable platform push-ups: Medicine balls, stability balls, basketballs and BOSUs can all be used to decrease stability and work more muscles. Put one or both hands on these wobbly surfaces and push up. Research shows that unstable surfaces may increase the activation of the muscles that stabilize the shoulders and trunk.
Lat-row push-ups: Adding a couple of dumbbells to push-ups can give you a complete upper body workout. Hold dumbbells in each hand and perform a lat row on the right side at the top of the push-up movement. Next time, do a lat row on the left side after a push-up and continue alternating sides. This modification increases the intensity of the exercise, activates the core stabilizers and engages the latissimus dorsi (back) muscles.
Narrower hand placement benefits the triceps and the chest. Position your hands close together with the index fingers and thumbs of one hand touching the other hand, making a diamond shape. Your hands should touch the center of your chest as it lowers, with elbows close to your sides during each repetition.