Push-Up: Learn how to do them

PUSH-UP!

I love push up! It is perhaps one of the best body weight exercise you should learn to do.

 

Push up works so many muscles simultaneously enabling functional strength to the core, bicep, triceps, lats (upper back), lower back & quads. It is a total body workout in just one movement perhaps that is  why it's hard to do.

 

 

There are lots of variation which targets and isolates various muscles but I will be talking about push-ups for beginners and how to eventually progress to doing standard push-up.

 

These are beginner push ups

Wall push-up are perfect for beginners because it helps build the strength required to eventually progress to traditional push up. It is also a good one to do if you have back problems because they put no pressure on the spine (but place your feet flat on the ground as opposed to tippy toes as shown above)

Push-up on the knees or "girl" push up are a good progression from wall push. If done correctly  they can be just as effective as regular push up. To feel the effect, step your knees slightly back (as shown), hands slight shoulder width apart and lead with the chest (not the head) when you press down.

The triceps push-up

 

The triceps push-up is considered the poor (wo)man's breast lift and great banisher of "bingo wings" because it targets mainly the pectorals (muscles around the breast) and triceps (3 muscles behind the upper arm) if done regularly and correctly.

The key to performing this particular push-up is to keep your hand close to your body (shoulder-width apart) as pictured above.

 

How to progress to standard push-up

 

 

Here is how to progress from doing push-up on your knees. I do this always with my ladies at bootcamp and I have seen them progress weekly with doing a push-up

 

 

Step 1. hold a high plank for 5secs
Step 2. lower your body by bending your elbows slightly (lead with the chest)
Step 3. go straight back into high plank, hold for 5sesc then repeat step 2
Do this cycle for 30secs, rest for 30secs and repeat 3 times over.

Try this 3 times a week and gradually go lower down each time.

Following these steps helps strengthen your shoulders and core in preparation for progressing into a full push-up. 


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