Push Ups

Why Should You do Push Ups?

Push-ups are often forgotten due to all sorts of machines, barbells, and dumbbells. However, it is a traditionally good exercise, especially for beginners who want to build the muscles in the chest, triceps, and shoulders. The exercise is also perfect as a Drop Set or Super Set for Bench Press or other chest exercises with heavy weight.

Performance

Stand in a plank position with straight arms, straight legs, and your gaze straight down to the floor. Your neck should be straight; you can pull your chin slightly towards your chest. Do not look forward when doing push-ups. Your core and buttocks should be tensed so that the body is straight. Pull back the shoulders and pinch the shoulder blades together so that the chest moves forward. Slowly lower your body to the floor by bending your arms. Like with Bench Press, the elbows and upper arms should not go out 90 degrees from the body but 60 degrees. At 90 degrees, your shoulders are overloaded, and you also do not exercise the chest and triceps as much. Whereas when you have your upper arms angled towards the body, your body also starts to go a little back and forth during the push-ups instead of straight up and straight down—the same path as a correct bench press.

Your hands should point straight ahead or slightly outward. If you have your hands instead inwards, the shoulders are rotated inwards, which increases the risk of injury.

Where Should You Place Your Hands?

If you have your hands closer to each other than shoulder-width apart, the triceps are working a little more. If the angle between the arms and the body is also less than 60 degrees, the triceps are also activated more.