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Introduction
Pushups are one of the ultimate bodyweight exercises. They're so effective in building upper body muscle and strength, that bodybuilders and fitness athletes have been known to do hundreds of reps everyday. The thing is, pushups are more than just a chest exercise, they work your entire body. We'll show you how to do a proper pushup, how to modify them and the exercises you can roll into your workout program.
Pushups are one of the ultimate bodyweight exercises. They're so effective in building upper body muscle and strength, that bodybuilders and fitness athletes have been known to do hundreds of reps everyday.
Pushups are one of the ultimate bodyweight exercises. They're so effective in building upper body muscle and strength, that bodybuilders and fitness athletes have been known to do hundreds of reps everyday.
Pushups are a great way to build muscle, especially in the chest and triceps—the muscles responsible for pushing you up from the floor during each rep. Pushups also help improve posture by strengthening your core, which stabilizes your spine so it doesn't arch too far forward or backward when doing pushups (that's called hyperextension).
And don't worry about hurting yourself with too many reps; if you try something new that causes pain or discomfort in any joint (like knee or ankle pain), stop immediately until you figure out what caused it so that you can avoid it next time!
The thing is, pushups are more than just a chest exercise, they work your entire body.
The thing is, pushups are more than just a chest exercise, they work your entire body.
While the traditional pushup works your chest, triceps and shoulders, there are also versions of this exercise that help you develop core strength and lower-body power. The modified plank position requires less shoulder mobility than standard pushups (and can be modified even further if needed) while still engaging all those important core muscles. And the hover pushup helps build lower-body power by forcing you to engage your glutes and hamstrings during the move—something many people don't always do when doing regular old full-body squats!
We'll show you how to do a proper pushup, how to modify them and the exercises you can roll into your workout program.
Pushups are a great exercise for the upper body and core, as well as the chest. Here's how to do them:
- Starting from your knees or toes, keep your back straight and head in line with your body. The shoulders should be directly over the hands, not rolled forward or backward.
- Bend at the elbows and lower yourself down until you can feel tension in your chest muscles (but don't go so low that it's painful). Then push up again until your arms are straight but not locked out at full extension (again, don't lock out because this could cause injury). That's one rep!
How to Do a Pushup
Start in a plank position, hands directly under your shoulders and body straight from head to toes.
Lower yourself until your chest is an inch from the floor, keeping elbows close to your sides and back flat with no arch or rounding in the spine. Don't let your hips sag or stick out too far—it's important to keep them at approximately 90 degrees with the rest of your body throughout this exercise (and every other pushup variation). You can also use a mirror so you can see what angle looks most natural for you if it's hard to tell by feel alone!
Push yourself back up to starting position as quickly as possible without losing form; try not to let momentum help lift up too high before pushing down again
Push-ups build incredible strength in the upper body, particularly the triceps and chest.
Push-ups work the chest and triceps (the muscles in your upper arms) as well as the core. This is because you have to engage your core to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, so that when you lower down and then raise up, it’s not a swinging motion but rather a smooth one.
By doing this exercise regularly, you will build incredible strength in both areas.
Conclusion
The pushup is one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do. It's simple, it's effective and it works your entire body.
