How to Do a Push-Up Correctly and Modify It to Build Upper Body Strength at Home

Despite being a simple-looking exercise, push-ups pack quite a punch in the world of fitness. The benefits of being trained in a gym or doing your own home workout on how to do push-ups with the right body alignment are that you can work on your chest, arms, shoulders, and the nucleus of your body. The most satisfying part of all is that there is no need for any equipment to be purchased and the exercises made.

Below is your comprehensive guide on how to do push-ups the right way, why they are indispensable in your strength routine, and lastly, the ways to adjust them if you are still striving towards the classic version.

How to Do a Proper Push-Up

Initiate the position with your body being in a high plank posture, putting your hands on the floor right under your shoulders and making the palms flat. Keep your arms straight, and your body is a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Tighten up your abs by pulling your navel towards your spine.

As you start bending your elbows, you move your chest down and stop slightly when you are positioned slightly above the floor. You just need to return to the first posture by pushing the ground and that is called one rep. The motion is to be done smoothly without the momentum of the body.

Why Push-Ups Deserve a Spot in Your Routine

Through an exercise done in a high position, like push-ups, you can engage many muscle groups as they work together. You will mainly engage your chest (pectoral muscles), triceps, and shoulders, but at the same time, your body’s core muscles will have to work a lot also. This progressive development assists in obtaining strength not only in appearance but also in terms of health benefits, e.g. good posture and endurance — just by mastering an easy movement.

Even researches indicate that the push-up exercise may be as effective as the bench press for muscle activation. In case you’re not eager to go to the gym but still want to benefit and maintain your muscle strength, push-ups should be your go-to exercises.

If you are a beginner in strength training, start with simple ones. Try to do 3–4 sets of 6–12 reps, once a day, then increase gradually.

Alterations to Get Where You Want

On the whole, push-ups can be a very difficult type of exercise, especially when you start. However, you can begin with the following provisional steps without sacrificing your posture.

Wall Push-Ups In this variation, you can put all the effort but still, it allows you to have light exercises. Go to the wall and put your hands in front of you. With your palms against the wall and your arms extended, slowly bend your elbows toward the wall. After that, push backward.

Incline Push-Ups You can use a solid and sturdy surface such as a bench or a table. Put your hands on the edge of the surface and do a push-up while you are on a slope. This way, the weight that your upper body has to carry is less while the muscles get the same sort of challenge.

Knee Push-Ups In this case, you will go from a plank position on your knees, maintaining your body straight from the shoulders to the knees. This diminishes the force so that anyone can take up the motion.

Here’s How to Get to the Advanced Level. Let’s Go!

When the basic stuff is over, get to the next level.

Diamond Push-Ups Making a diamond shape by joining the hands exactly beneath the chest is a diamond push-up. This one focuses more on the triceps and the inner chest.

Feet-Elevated Push-Ups Put your feet on a step or a chair to lift your lower body. The intensity moves to the front so that the upper chest and shoulder muscles carry the weight.

One-Arm Push-Ups The most daunting task even for the best professional athletes. Here, remove one hand behind you and complete the push-up exercise with just one hand. You can also lift one leg off the ground to increase instability.

Weighted Push-Ups are some of the alternatives. A partner or a weighted vest are the options for the exercise; thus, the athlete has two opportunities to choose from. The second method of overload is higher as it adds weight to your muscles. Having a partner or a vest is also better for the exercise as it replicates conditions of extra resistance and is more challenging to the muscle group.

Push ups are not only a top notch fitness move that never goes out of style but they also are a move that develops the full body and can be performed anywhere. There is no need for any other type of exercise when we start with pushups and continue to do progressions with weights. This particular exercise stresses the muscles to grow and in the meantime, the body can endure more exercise. A good posture is another plus. The workouts performed are mostly in the upper body but also the legs and the body as a whole. Thus, beginners are bound to learn how to master the push-up and how to use the various kinds of it. This will not only save them money but also time… but only if they are not interested in those two things.