There are different types of push-ups to target the separate groups muscles, let's look at the basic exercises below:
Wide-arm push-ups – starting position hands wider than shoulders, at least 10 cm, put hands at chest level, body straight as a string, legs together, lower to the floor not reaching it 5 cm, elbows should be spread to the sides, rise to the starting position keeping the body straight.
Make sure that the hip area is fixed at all times; to do this, tense your abdominal muscles. Don't chase a large number push-ups, feel the muscles, do the exercise, strictly observing the technique. During the exercise, the main load is received by the muscle fibers of the outer chest, secondary shoulders, triceps and abdominal muscles;
– the technique for performing this type of push-ups from the floor is identical to push-ups with widely spaced arms (see above), with one difference that the hands are located at chest level and shoulder-width apart, and the load shifts from the outer to the central part of the chest;
- the initial position of the arms is narrower than the shoulders, the distance between the arms is about 10 cm, spread your legs to the sides for stability, lower yourself to the floor not reaching 5 cm, lower your elbows along the body, lift yourself up with the strength of your arms, keeping your body straight, return to the starting position. Don’t forget about breathing, exhale to force, inhale to relax, i.e. Inhale as you lower, exhale as you rise. This type exercise moves the load on the triceps and internal pectoral muscles;
Hand-off push-ups
– the initial position of the arms and torso is the same as for push-ups with arms wide apart (see above), with one difference, at the top point you straighten your arms, pushing them away from the surface with force, when landing, touch the surface with your elbows already slightly bent, so as not to damage the elbow joints . Exercise strengthens strength and explosive endurance of muscles and shoulder girdle;
Different types of push-ups allow you to include a variety of different muscles, which increases the effectiveness of training!
Push-ups with clapping hands in front of you
– the exercise is similar to push-ups with arms lifted off (see above), only lifting your arms off the surface, clap in front of you, placing wider emphasis on your legs to better stabilize your torso. Exercise, in addition to benefiting strength and explosive muscle endurance, improves coordination of movements;
Push-ups with hands clapping behind your back
– the exercise is similar to push-ups with arms lifted off (see above), only lifting your hands off the surface, clap behind you, placing wider emphasis on your legs to better stabilize your torso.
A difficult version of the exercise, it requires maximum development strength and speed endurance, as well as coordination of movements. Suitable for experienced athletes only.
Do not perform it if you have a shoulder injury or do not have good physical fitness. For training, place soft mats in front of you to avoid injury;
One-arm push-ups
– Suitable for experienced athletes. Starting position: one hand is on the floor, the other is on the lower back or holding the thigh, legs are spread apart to hold the body. We descend without touching the surface 5cm. and return to the starting position. Exercise gives maximum load on shoulder muscles and joints, as well as triceps;
Push-ups are the best exercise to tone your chest muscles, anywhere!
Diagonal push-ups – the technique of execution is as follows – the initial position of the hand is at chest level and shoulder width apart, only the hands are not in a straight line, but diagonally, for example, the left one is in front, the right one is behind. Using the strength of our hands, we tear them off the surface; when our hands come off, we change their location and land so that our hands are diagonal again, only now right hand in front, and the left one behind, and so on. The exercise affects the shoulder girdle and forces you to get involved in work different groups pectoral muscles;
Classic push-ups with raised leg
– the exercise is similar to classic push-ups (see above), but one leg is raised above the surface, do 5 repetitions, change legs and again 5 repetitions, do the same alternating legs. The exercise strengthens not only the muscles of the chest, shoulder girdle and arms, but also includes the muscles of the legs, abs and buttocks;
Head down push-ups
– starting position, stand against the wall and throw your legs up so that your legs touch it, your back can be turned both towards the wall and away from it, then lower yourself down on your hands, without touching your head to the surface, with the force of your arms, press your body up.
This exercise places an exceptional isolating load on the shoulder muscles. To avoid injury, perform the exercise after sufficiently strengthening the body muscles, recommended for experienced athletes;
Push-ups with a 90 degree rotation
– the technique and starting position are similar to classic push-ups (see above), only when you lift your body up with the strength of your arms, you begin to turn along the axis while simultaneously lifting your hand from the floor and stretch up to the ceiling, return your hand back, push up again and pull the other up hand. Exercise after each push-up and contraction of muscle groups, well stretches the pectoral muscle and shoulder girdle;
- the technique and starting position are similar to classic push-ups (see above), but your feet are on a bench or other surface that is higher than your hands, the optimal option is a bench about 40-50 cm. This exercise shifts the load to top part chest and anterior deltoid (anterior shoulder muscle).
– an indispensable exercise for climbers and people skilled in martial arts, strengthens ligaments and joints, forearms and hands, excellent prevention of arthritis.
Before starting the exercise, be sure to stretch your hands, wrists and knuckles to reduce the possibility of injury.
The starting position is like classic push-ups (see above), the emphasis is on the pads of the fingers, make sure that the fingers are firmly fixed on the surface to prevent injury or dislocation of the finger joints.
After mastering the 5-finger push-up technique, complicate the exercises, experiment with push-ups, removing 1 finger at a time.
Use all types of push-ups from the floor periodically and the results from your training will not keep you waiting!
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This 17 push-up workout to failure will test your endurance and tone your pecs, triceps and shoulders.
Are your pecs or shoulders lagging, or maybe your triceps need a serious shake-up to get them growing?
Or perhaps you'd like to improve their shape and size while maximizing your metabolism while reducing your fat percentage to the single digits? Do you want to know what types of push-ups there are? various groups muscles?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the program and methodology below may be just what you need.
The described workout is difficult and will require extreme effort from you. physical strength, but in the end, every drop of sweat will be worth it.
Before the methodology high intensity training() came to the rescue of the legions of desperate jocks who spent countless hours on slow-paced, low-intensity exercise, bringing them the desired relief of fat while preserving muscle mass; for many, trying to maintain this balance ended in metabolic collapse and disastrous results.
Now, by combining short, ultra-intense bouts with short periods of rest and/or active recovery in 15-20 minute periods, dedicated athletes can achieve phenomenal results in both maintaining muscle mass and losing weight quickly. And although cardio often plays a role leading role, when it comes to getting rid of fat, for many it does not give the desired effect when it comes to quality muscle volumes.
If you perform rapid series of strength exercises on different muscle groups to failure one after another, interspersed with rest only sufficient to recover for the next set, the muscles are forced to work with greater efficiency, in the target muscle groups more blood is supplied, and metabolism receives a strong impulse to accelerate. If you apply this approach wisely, you will certainly achieve a leaner and more muscular body.
The following workout uses HIIT principles to primarily target the chest/shoulders/triceps.
Give it a try. Get used to it. Use it wisely, and your pectorals will have no choice but to get stronger.
Video - types of push-ups and their functions
We've already covered the topic in detail, now it's time to use the right technique to pump up your muscles.
Training program
| Types of push-ups | Approaches | Repetitions |
| 1. With cotton | 1 | To failure |
| 1 | To failure | |
| 3. With weight transfer on one hand | 1 | To failure |
| 4. On an inclined surface reverse grip | 1 | To failure |
| 5. Weighted | 1 | To failure |
| 1 | To failure | |
| 7. Spiderman push-ups (Spiderman) | 1 | To failure |
| 8. On a surface with a negative slope | 1 | To failure |
| 9. With cross lift | 1 | To failure |
| 1 | To failure | |
| 11. With a pause | 1 | To failure |
| 12. With a wave of your hand up | 1 | To failure |
| 13. On fists | 1 | To failure |
| 14. With a bend in the lower back | 1 | To failure |
| 15. On an inclined surface wide grip | 1 | To failure |
| 16. On one leg | 1 | To failure |
| 17. Narrow grip | 1 | To failure |
- Perform different types of push-ups as one giant set, resting 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes between each exercise (depending on your skill and recovery speed).
- Each exercise should be performed for as many repetitions as you can (AMRAP). Twenty reps per set will mean you have excellent endurance.
- This workout is designed for those who have at least a year of good training experience.
- If you are not yet that experienced (or just starting out), it is better to modify the workout for safety reasons. If you are a beginner, you should reduce the number of repetitions, eliminate some movements and/or increase the rest time between sets.
- Always start with a warm-up.
1. Explosive clap push-ups
These types of movements help develop explosive force in the arms, chest and shoulders, it concentrates on fast-twitch muscle fibers, the development of which will give you an impressive increase in volume.
To perform this movement, you'll need to add some elements to your regular pushup.
Plyometric (explosive) push-ups mean that you need to accelerate in the eccentric phase (the negative phase of the movement, that is, the downward movement). Don't pause at the bottom. Instead, move from the eccentric to the concentric phase as quickly as possible, that is, try to push your body up as quickly as possible so that at the end of the movement you gain maximum speed and have time to clap your hands. Instead of stopping at the end, accelerate, lift your hands off the ground and perform a clap. Land in the starting position and continue with the exercise while maintaining control.
2. Push-ups with feet on a fitball
3. One-arm push-ups
In this push-up variation, one hand has to stabilize the body while you bring the other hand under your working hand. This way you need to maintain balance and prevent your shoulder from twisting.
To perform it, take a standard lying position; perform one repetition, lift your hand off the ground and bring it behind the opposite (supporting) one, touch the ground and return it to its place. Complete one repetition and do the same on the other side. Perform until you reach the desired number of repetitions. The number of repetitions for this movement can be reduced due to its difficulty.
4. Incline push-ups with reverse grip
This exercise is performed in a lying position, but inner part hands should look forward, this variation works more muscles compared to normal. Along with the chest, the work includes the shoulders, arms, legs, core muscles and upper back.
To perform it, grab the bar, your body should be inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the surface, your toes resting on the floor. Take a reverse grip, slowly lower your body towards the bar and push up.
5. Weighted push-ups
This is an advanced version of the regular push-up that has been around for a long time. Weighted push-ups use the same muscles, but put more stress on them. With added weight, this movement better replicates a traditional bench press than a simple push-up. Additionally, since the weight must be kept in balance, more stabilizer muscles are recruited to perform the movement.
Get into a standard prone position and have your partner place a barbell plate on your back. Trying to maintain your balance, perform a regular push-up.
6. Sideways push-ups
This movement, which requires more coordination and flexibility compared to simple push-ups, uses the external and inner side pectoral muscles, and also loads the core muscles.
To perform this, take a standard prone position, but place your hands a little closer to each other and your legs wider. Do a push-up. Then spread your arms wider and bring your legs together. Do a second push-up. Alternate until you have completed the desired number of repetitions.
7. Spiderman push-ups
In addition to working the key muscles for push-ups, this movement also improves flexibility and mobility of the pelvis, as well as promoting good posture and mobility throughout the body.
To perform this, do a regular push-up from a standard bench position, but spread your elbows slightly on the way down. As your body lowers to the ground, pull your right knee toward your right elbow, straighten it, and rise into the starting position while lying down. Repeat for the other side. Changing sides, perform the desired number of times.
8. Push-ups on a surface with a negative slope (with your feet against the wall)
Negative incline push-ups focus on the upper pecs to work that stubborn area. This movement can be challenging at first, but as you get the hang of it, you'll appreciate how well it works your upper body (since your legs aren't involved in the work).
To perform, place your feet against the wall and your body should be at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Lower your body until your forehead touches the floor. Do push-ups.
9. Push-ups with cross lift (arm/leg)
This movement is even more demanding on the stabilizing muscles of the core, since the arm and opposite leg leave the ground at the same time. It must be performed slowly, with perfect plank technique.
To perform this, do a regular push-up, but on the upward movement, pull forward left hand, while simultaneously pulling back and up right leg. Lower your arms and leg to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side. Switch sides and complete the required number of repetitions.
10. Shoulder touch push-ups
This movement works the muscles throughout your upper body while challenging your core to stabilize you at the top of each rep.
To perform, assume a standard push-up position, push up once, then hold your torso in a prone position with your arms fully extended. Stretch your hand across the body and touch the opposite shoulder; perform the next repetition. Change sides as many times as desired.
11. Push-ups with a pause
By pausing at the bottom of a standard push-up, you prevent the spring reflex (the tendency of the muscles to return to a neutral state) that would otherwise help you on the way up.
To perform this, do a standard push-up, but instead of immediately pushing your body up from the bottom, hold at the bottom for two full seconds. Then explosively return to the starting position.
12. Push-ups with an arm swing
This movement develops rotational strength in your core while working your chest, shoulders, and arms one side at a time.
To perform, start with your body lowered to the ground, as in a simple push-up. Explosively lift your body to arms outstretched, but instead of stopping, allow one arm to lift off the floor. Raise this arm towards the ceiling, turning your body completely towards it. Keep your entire body straight and roll onto the side of your foot as you repeat. Repeat the same for the other side and perform the desired number of times, or better yet, until failure.
13. Push-ups
This movement is great way avoid breaking the hand, which to one degree or another occurs with all other variations of push-ups (instead of the base of the hands, the load falls on the fists).
To do this, take a standard push-up position, but press your fists rather than your open palms into the floor. Do push-ups in this position.
14. Push-ups with a bend in the lower back
The backbend push-up (or Chaturanga Dandasana) requires more force in the combined movements of the core compared to other variations. In particular, with each repetition you need to use the pelvis and the entire shoulder girdle. Mobility also improves thoracic spine.
To perform, take a standard lying position, lower your body completely down so that your pelvis touches the floor, push up and transfer your body weight to your heels. Push your pelvis up as high as possible, extending your arms until your chest is fully extended, hold this position for a second, then repeat.
15. Incline push-ups with wide grip
This movement is a great way to engage all of the large sections of the pectoral muscles, focusing on the lower part. In addition, thanks to a wide grip, more stress is placed on the chest and less on the shoulders and triceps.
To perform, lean against the bar on the Smith machine so that your body is at an angle of 45 degrees, as wide as you can, remembering to control your body movements in all phases. Lower yourself slowly and explosively return to the starting position.
16. One-legged push-ups
This is a great way to work your stabilizer muscles while also targeting your pecs, shoulders, triceps, and core.
To perform, take a standard position while lying down, placing one leg on the floor and lifting the other up. For the first repetition, keep one leg suspended, for the next, change to the other, repeat.
Remember to keep your glutes and entire core tight to prevent your body from swaying from side to side with each repetition.
17. Close grip push-ups
This movement is effective way work your triceps to increase their strength and volume. Compared to wide-grip push-ups, it involves keeping the body as compact as possible. Keep your elbows close to your body and your shoulders tense.
Push-ups are simple, accessible and at the same time effective exercise, allowing you to work through many important muscles bodies. By doing them correctly and regularly, you can achieve the desired results. And one of the advantages of the exercise is that by slightly changing the technique of performing it, you can vary the load, focusing on working certain muscle groups. But we will talk about this a little later, and first we will look at which muscles work when pushing up from the floor.
So, what muscle groups work during push-ups? When executing this exercise almost all the muscles of the body are involved, and by changing its technique or the width of the arms, we can increase the load on some muscle groups and reduce it on others.
A push-up can be compared to a barbell bench press; it is performed in reverse. The muscles of the chest and shoulders are loaded due to the fact that dead weight the body is held in the arms. This is a very effective action for working out muscles, which is recommended to be performed at the beginning of a workout.
When performing the exercise, do not rush. Control your breathing and try not to make sudden movements.
Warm up before you start doing push-ups. Enough for warming up 5-10 minutes. During this time, shake your abs, swing your arms and legs, and stretch your joints.
For yourself you should try to establish comfortable amplitude movements. Remember that an excessively fast pace increases the risk of injury.
Push-ups using the floor as support are the most convenient option, since they are available everywhere, particularly at home. To make it more difficult, a ball, platform, or parallel bars can be used. This way, muscle groups will be loaded even more effectively during push-ups.
To alternate which muscles are affected by push-ups, you can change the position of your hands. There are many variations of push-ups that provide maximum load on certain muscle groups. Let's look at the most popular among them.
Classic push-ups
Regular push-ups are familiar to everyone from school. Let's figure out which muscles work when doing push-ups in its standard version. The exercise works almost the entire upper body. The pectoral muscles receive active load, deltoids, triceps and biceps. In addition, the torso is kept in a tense state, due to which the rectus abdominis muscle, core and lower back muscles work.
It is important that push-ups are performed correctly - then the muscles work as efficiently as possible. You need to take a lying position, resting on your straight arms with your hands spread shoulder-width apart. Place your palms parallel to each other.
The chest and core muscles should be tense when performing the exercise. Keep your back straight, but at the same time maintain a slight natural arch in the lumbar region. You can turn your elbows slightly away from the body, but do not press them too hard to the floor. Direct your gaze forward. Strain your neck, but not excessively.
After making sure that the pose is built correctly, begin to bend your elbows, lowering your straight body to the floor. The buttocks should not rise too high, the head should not be pulled down. Your body should be smooth, a straight line.
Wide grip push-ups
Wide grip push-ups - what muscles work when doing them? If you place your hands wider than your shoulders, then you will actively work the triceps and deltoid anterior muscle, but the outer part pectoral muscles. This technique is popular among those who want to quickly make chest voluminous and embossed.
In the question of which muscles swing when doing push-ups with arms wide apart, we note that the triceps are involved, but work little. The main load is directly on the chest muscles. When performing the exercise, your palms should be positioned approximately 20-25 cm wider than shoulders.
If you are a beginner and find it difficult to do full push-ups right away, you can do the exercise from your knees. This way you can master the technique and gradually move on to more complex versions.
Close grip push-ups
To do push-ups narrow grip We will now figure out which muscles work in which, you need to have certain training. The fact is that the narrower your hands are, the harder it is to maintain balance while maintaining the correct technique. But there is no need to bring your hands closer than 20 cm to each other, as this will cause the elbows to turn to the sides and shift the load due to this.
What does a push-up with narrow arms do? This triceps shoulder and pectoralis major muscle. Additionally, the anterior bundles of the deltoid and trapezius muscles work. Please note that the closer you press your elbows to your body, the more your triceps are pumped.
Other types of push-ups and muscle groups
Much about the question of which muscles swing when doing push-ups depends on the characteristics of the technique. So, those who want to add load to the triceps can perform push-ups using the “diamond” technique. The starting position is as in a classic push-up. The palms need to be placed very narrowly. Large and index fingers touch and form a rhombus. The main load goes on the triceps, less on the chest and deltoids.
Another exercise that allows you to pump up your torso muscles is push-ups combined with cotton. Such push-ups belong to the group plyometric, that is, those in which a body toss is used. The classic pose is taken as the basis. You need to take the starting position with your arms straight, then lower yourself down with your elbows pointing to the sides. When lifting, an explosive action is performed and the torso is thrown upward slightly.
The throw distance should make it possible to clap your hands and land on your hands, slightly bent at the elbows. You must have time to bend your arms. Then you will have a springy movement and smooth shock absorption. If you land with your arms straight, the load due to your body weight can cause injury to your wrist, shoulder or elbow joints.
That is why diamond and cotton push-ups are only available to people with good physical training. Beginners should not start with them. First, fully master classic push-ups; you already know which muscles are pumped during which.
If your goal is to increase muscle mass in the upper body, to gain strength, then use weights. It could be a pancake, a vest, a backpack with a load. Push-ups with own weight help build endurance. And depending on their type, you can change what push-ups pump from the floor, giving a load to certain muscle groups. If you just want to keep your body in good shape, the type of push-ups does not matter. You can alternate between a wide and a narrow grip or always perform classic push-ups.
In addition to narrow and wide hand placement, classic push-ups also have other varieties:
- Head down push-ups. Increases the load on the chest muscles. They differ from the classic version in that your feet need to be placed on a bench or other elevation. To maintain balance, your hands can be placed in front of your shoulders.
- Fist push-ups. In the question of what swings when doing push-ups, note that it is not only the chest, deltas and triceps, but also the hands and wrists. The role of biceps in this case is growing. Performing such push-ups is more difficult than classic ones. You need to start doing them with a small number of repetitions so as not to get injured.
- Push-ups. They are a lightweight version of the previous version. Suitable for those whose wrists are not strong enough.
- One-arm push-ups. They work the muscles of the shoulder girdle, delta, triceps and ligaments. Works both the upper and lower body. Considering that all the weight falls on one hand, the load on its muscles increases. This exercise is not for beginners - first you must learn to maintain balance and sufficiently train your muscles.
- Grasshopper push-ups. Works arm muscles well upper muscles breasts With these push-ups, proper technique is important to avoid injury.
Push-ups from the floor, which muscles work during which, we figured out, can be performed not only in the classical way. You can also include the following options in the program:
- Reverse push-ups. Less popular than classic ones, but no less effective. To perform this exercise, just a few benches are enough. This exercise helps pump up your triceps. The back muscles also work.
- Push-ups on chairs. Variation reverse push-ups, where chairs are used instead of benches.
- Incline push-ups. For this exercise you need one bench, on which you need to rest your hands. The lower part of the pectoral muscles is well worked out.
- Reverse push-ups(legs are located above the head). Works the upper pectoral muscles. The feet are placed on the bench a little further than the head.
- Dips. Allows you to work on the upper and lower muscles backs, train their strength and coordinated work. Dips are a general strengthening exercise that works the entire upper body. You can change the position of your hands, purposefully working out certain muscle elements.
Of course, even with this useful exercise Like push-ups, it's important not to overdo it. Perform it at a moderate pace, make sure the technique is correct, and do not do the exercise over painful sensations and severe discomfort.
Push-ups, which muscles work in which, we already know, have their contraindications. This overweight, impaired coordination of movements, as well as recent injuries to the arms, shoulders, and wrists. Back problems, by the way, are not included in the list of contraindications, since in this case push-ups can be useful.
Plays a role correct breathing technique. Breathe deeply, calmly and measuredly. Don't hold your breath. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, and remove jewelry before class.
Push-ups are a simple and effective way to train important muscle groups. By performing various variations of them, you can provide various muscle elements with high-quality and complete exercise.
Types and technique of push-ups on video
Push-ups provide a lot of room for imagination when it comes to inventing new variations of this exercise. You can place your arms a little wider or narrower, shift your body weight forward or back, add dynamic footwork, and much more! This allows you not only to “reach” any area of the pecs and triceps, but also to wake up many other muscles!
There is a very widespread opinion that push-ups are a fairly simple exercise that cannot bring any particular strength or mass, except that it will improve endurance and relief. However, this is a misconception, and although I don’t know where it came from, in my article I will try to convince you that push-ups are really great exercise, if you do it with your head!
What does it mean? This means that you should not mindlessly monotonously do repetition after repetition, thinking about something of your own and dreaming of when it will end. Vice versa! You need to fully concentrate on the work of the muscles and feel how they tense during each repetition! Do the repetitions consciously and slowly - this will not only make the exercise much more difficult, but will also give an explosive effect to strength and mass!
As I wrote earlier, there is a huge variety of push-ups that allow you to use a variety of muscles. Below, I present a rating of push-ups (they are ranked by level of difficulty), which (if my memory serves me correctly) was first published in Men's Health several years ago.
Push-ups
Difficulty level: Below intermediate
Advantages: This push-up variation primarily stimulates the mid-chest area. At the same time, the upper and lower pecs, deltoids, and triceps work to a lesser extent. The entire back muscles are statically tense.
Execution: Take a support position with your arms straight. Don't lift your head up or down. Keep it strictly in line with your spine. Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. First, lower yourself to the bottom position, and then with a powerful effort push yourself up to straight arms. In the upper position, statically tighten your chest muscles for a one-two count. Only then lower yourself to the floor. Do not straighten your elbows all the way! Leave them slightly bent. Keep your abs tense. Don't let your belly sag!
Elevated push-ups
Difficulty level: Low
Advantages: When the body assumes a tilted position and your head is much higher than your feet, the emphasis shifts to the lower region of the pectoral muscles. Because this variation takes more of your weight from your legs than a regular push-up, it feels less challenging.
Execution: Place a bench in front of you and rest your hands on its edge, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms and lower yourself down until your chest lightly touches the edge of the seat. Push yourself up powerfully.
Elevated Leg Push-Ups
Difficulty level: Medium
Advantages: This option shifts the emphasis to the upper area of the pectoral muscles. The exercise is difficult because the arms bear most of the weight of the body.
Execution: This is exactly the same movement as regular push-ups, with the difference that your toes do not rest on the floor, but on the surface of the bench. The hands should be placed slightly in front of the shoulder line. This will not affect efficiency in any way, but will help balance in the starting position.
Knee push-ups
Difficulty level: Low
Advantages: This option is for the case when you no longer have the strength, but there are still dozens of push-ups in the plan. You can use push-ups from your knees for a full “push-up” of the chest, after you reach “failure” in regular push-ups.
Execution: Take a support position with your arms straight. Place something soft under your knees, like a gymnastics mat. Keep your back extremely straight. Do not lift your pelvis up - the torso together with the hips forms a straight line.
Diamond push-ups
Difficulty level: Medium
Advantages: This movement, similar to the close-grip bench press, places emphasis on the inner pectoral muscles.
Execution: Take a position with straight arms, placing your hands so that your thumbs and index fingers touch each other (as in the photo). First, slowly lower yourself to the bottom position, and then with a powerful effort push yourself up. At the top point, statically tighten your triceps for a one-two count and only then lower to the bottom position. This technique will enhance payload for triceps.
Push-ups with wide arms
Difficulty level: Medium
Advantages: By spreading your arms wider, as in a wide-grip bench press, you take some of the load off your triceps and increase the load on your pecs.
Execution: Turn your hands outward at a 45-degree angle to avoid overloading your rotator cuff muscles, and spread them as wide as possible. The lower you go, the better. The same movement can be performed on supports, as well as head up and head down. These options are for experienced athletes who are concerned about the nuances of form.
Plyometric push-ups
Difficulty level: Above average
Advantages: The goal of any plyometric exercise is not so much to increase muscle mass or endurance, but to develop their explosive power; fast and powerful reaction mobilizes nervous system and gets more involved in work muscle fibers. This is very useful for bodybuilders. This load stimulates nerve innervation. Simply put, the nervous network becomes denser and denser. This is reflected in an increase in mass when performing basic exercises with weight.
Execution: The starting position is the same as for regular push-ups. Quickly lower yourself lower, then with a powerful jerk, throw yourself up so that your hands come off the floor. “Land” on your hands and repeat the movement at the same pace. “Advanced” option: clap your hands at the top point.
Jump push-ups
Difficulty level: High
Advantages: A variation of the plyometric push-up, it develops explosive strength and coordination.
Execution: To avoid damaging your hands or wrists, perform this movement on a soft, springy surface. In the starting position, rest your palms on two supports 15-20 cm high. Push up, push off the supports and “land” on the floor between them. The hands should be at the width characteristic of regular push-ups. Immediately bend your elbows and gently lower your chest toward the floor. From the bottom position, explosively push yourself up and “jump” onto the supports again. The secret is not to divide the movement into phases and perform it in one breath.
One-arm push-ups
Difficulty level: High
Advantages: This circus variation is great for building shoulder girdle strength. It acts on the pectoral muscle, as they say, from top to bottom. At the same time, the triceps are extremely heavily loaded.
Execution: First, take a normal push-up position, then move one leg to the side. Shift your body weight to your opposite hand and place your other hand behind your belt. When you can confidently maintain your balance, start doing push-ups. They may not work out for you right away. Then start small - go down 10-15 cm, not deeper. As soon as you confidently master this “depth”, try to go lower - another 5-10 cm.
And these are just the most basic push-ups, which are known to many. In Workout training, along with these, there are a couple dozen more various types, however, I will write about them in another article!
Push-ups are a strength exercise with weights. own body, which is key for upper body muscle development. Regularly performing push-ups not only increases your endurance and strengthens individual muscle groups, but also Helps tone the entire body.
Do you want to learn how to do push-ups, are you looking for a ready-made diagram and the correct push-up technique? Or just want to know about the effectiveness of this exercise? We offer you the most complete guide on push-ups in one article, as well as step by step instructions how to learn to do push-ups from scratch.
Push-ups: how to do them correctly
Push-ups are the most popular bodyweight exercise. It is used not only in strength training, but also in plyometric exercises, crossfit, pilates, callanetics and even yoga. And so versatility of push-ups easy to explain. Push-ups help you engage every muscle group from your neck to your toes, and especially strengthen your pectoral muscles, shoulder girdle, triceps, and abs.
There are many different types of push-ups, but before moving on to more complex modifications of this exercise, let's understand the technique of performing classic push-ups. The correct form of exercise is not only the maximum result and high-quality muscle work, but also reduced risk of injury and damage during classes.
Correct technique during classic push-ups:
- The body forms a straight line, the pelvis does not go up and does not bend down.
- The abdominal muscles are tense, but breathing is not held.
- The head is in a neutral position, not looking down, but not lifting up either.
- The palms are strictly under the shoulders and do not go forward.
- Palms face forward, parallel to each other.
- The elbows are turned back 45 degrees, they are not spread out to the side.
- As you exhale, bend your elbows and lower your body parallel to the floor, maintaining a straight line of your body.
- Push-ups are performed with full amplitude, i.e. the body drops as low as possible. Elbows should form a right angle.
It is this technique of classic push-ups that helps to evenly work the muscles of the shoulders, chest and triceps.
Push-ups work several muscle groups at once. This exercise allows you to work all the muscles of the shoulder girdle and the small stabilizing muscles of the shoulder. Also push-ups from the floor and from the knees develop strength and elasticity shoulder muscles, which is especially important since the shoulder joint is extremely unstable and susceptible to displacement and injury.
Push-ups help work the following muscle groups:
- Pectoralis major muscle
- Deltoids (shoulders)
- Triceps
- Serratus anterior muscle
- Abdominal muscles
In addition, during push-ups, the muscles of the legs, buttocks and back are indirectly involved in the work. Push-ups also increase functional strength necessary to perform regularly performed actions (lifting and moving objects, cleaning the house, holding a child in your arms).
The main mistakes in the technique of classic push-ups
Push-ups are not as simple an exercise as it seems at first glance. Errors in execution technique are made not only by practitioners, but even by coaches! Improperly performing push-ups can lead to injuries to the wrists, shoulder and elbow joints, as well as pain in the neck, back and lower back. If you can't maintain proper form during push-ups, drop to your knees or reduce the number of reps! Train yourself to do this exercise correctly from the very first time you do it.
The most common mistake in push-up technique is the position of the elbows relative to the body. Keeping your elbows out helps compensate for lack of upper body strength. Of course, you can do this version of push-ups (which many people do). But the problem is that this method of execution increases risk of shoulder and elbow injuries. Therefore, it is better to pay attention to the position of the elbows: they should be turned back 45 degrees, and not look in different directions.
IN classic push-ups hands should be strictly under the shoulders. Some practitioners practice push-ups with wide arms, but this is a weaker position in which your muscles do not work well enough. Additionally, wide-arm push-ups can cause shoulder pain over time.
During push-ups, the body should form a straight line. But if you have a weak core, then there is a risk of poor push-up technique: lifting your butt up or, conversely, arching your lower back and lowering your hips towards the floor. Not correct position will give the body excess stress on the spine. To avoid this mistake, start practicing the plank exercise - this will help strengthen muscle corset. We recommend reading: Plank – benefits and harm, 45 options for planks + training plan.
Very common mistake in the push-up technique, this is performing an exercise with incomplete amplitude, namely, insufficiently lowering the body down. Naturally, at first it will be difficult for you to perform push-ups with the full range, but train yourself from the very beginning of practical training lower the body to a right angle at the elbow.
For example, let's visually compare the correct and incorrect performance of push-ups.
1. Correct classic push-up:
The body forms a straight line, the pelvis does not rise up, the lower back does not bend. When doing push-ups, the body lowers low, the elbows are quite close to the body, the palms are under the shoulders.
2. Correct push-up from the knees (simplified version of classic push-ups):
Similarly, the body forms a straight line, there are no deflections or bends in the back. We pay attention to the correct position of the palms relative to the shoulders.
3. Push-ups with an error:
The pelvis is lowered down, the lower back is curved, the straight line of the body is broken. Doing this exercise can cause back pain and even injury.
4. Push-ups with an error:
In this picture we see insufficient lowering of the body, the elbows barely bend. It is better to do 5 high-quality push-ups than 15-20 poor-quality ones, where the arms do not form a right angle.
Thanks to the YouTube channel for the visual gifs Lais DeLeon.
Push-ups: benefits, harm and contraindications
Like any other exercise, push-ups have a number of advantages and disadvantages, as well as contraindications for execution. This is great strength exercises for muscle development, but if performed incorrectly or with weak joints, it can have unpleasant health consequences .
Benefits of doing push-ups:
1. Push-ups - best exercise to strengthen chest muscles with your own body weight. If you want to do quality work on pectoral muscles, then push-ups should definitely be included in your training plan.
2. Push-ups are a multi-purpose exercise that work all at once. several muscle groups . In addition to your chest, you'll strengthen your triceps, shoulders, and core. Push-ups also work your back, legs, and buttocks, providing full workout bodies.
3. To perform push-ups, you do not need additional equipment. Alternatively, you can do this exercise both at home and on the street. Are you on vacation? You do not have access to gym? No problem, push-ups can be done anywhere you can find a small square of space.
4. Push-ups help strengthen muscle corset . This will not only bring you closer to a 6-pack abs, but will also be a good preventative for back pain and will also help improve your posture.
5. Push-ups are very variable exercise. Wide stance the arms engage the shoulder muscles, narrow setting arms - triceps. You can get a great upper body workout using just your own weight.
6. The ability to do push-ups correctly will be useful to you not only in strength training, but also in yoga, Pilates, callanetics, and plyometric programs. Push-ups are one of the main exercises with your own body weight.
7. Push-ups develop muscle strength and elasticity shoulders. If the correct technique is followed, this will prevent injury. shoulder joints, which are the most vulnerable for those involved.
8. Large quantity modifications (from the simplest to the super-complex) makes push-ups a universal exercise that is suitable for both beginners and advanced. This means you'll always have a productive workout, no matter your strength or experience level.
Harm of push-ups and contraindications for exercise
Despite the many advantages and benefits of push-ups for developing the body and improving strength training, push-ups can cause harm to your body. During push-ups, the joints of the shoulders, elbows, and wrists are involved in the work, so if you have a history of injuries or problems with the joints, then push-ups should not be performed. Injuring joints while performing push-ups is not uncommon, especially if you do not follow the correct technique.
Contraindications for performing push-ups:
- Arthrosis, arthritis and other joint problems
- Injuries to shoulders, arms, wrists
- Spinal problems
- Lumbar lordosis
- Large excess weight
Be sure to follow proper technique when performing push-ups. We always recommend warm up your hands, elbows and shoulders before doing push-ups, performing circular movements hands in one direction and the other.
10 features of doing push-ups that are important to know about
1. The closer you place your hands while doing push-ups, the more your triceps work. The further you space it, the more your shoulders are involved in the work.
2. If you want to make push-ups easier, rest your hands on the bench or go down on your knees.
3. If you want, on the contrary, make push-ups more difficult, then place your feet on a bench or other elevated surface. Moreover, the higher your legs are, the more difficult it will be to do push-ups.
4. To increase the amplitude and efficiency of push-ups, you can perform them on special racks: push-up supports. In this case, the body will drop lower and the muscles will work even harder.
5. Push-up supports not only allow you to thoroughly pump the muscles of the chest, shoulders and triceps, but also significantly reduce the risk of wrist injuries.
6. If you do not have special supports, then you can do push-ups on dumbbells, this will also help reduce the load on your hands.
7. Before push-ups, try to do gymnastics for the joints of your shoulders, elbows and hands (circular movements with shoulders, arms and hands).
8. If you have weak wrists, use elastic bandages , they will reduce the load on the joints. This is especially true if you plan to do plyometric push-ups (discussed below).
9. To increase muscle mass, try to perform push-ups for a low number of repetitions, using complex modifications or additional weight. But to lose weight, develop endurance and develop functional training, you can move towards increasing the number of repetitions.
10. The standard description of exercises is allowed make some adjustments , which are due to different anatomical structure and flexibility. Determine the position of your palms that will ensure comfortable performance of push-ups.
How to learn to do push-ups from scratch: a ready-made plan
It's okay if you've never done push-ups before or had a long break from fitness and have lost this skill. Anyone can learn to do push-ups, regardless of gender or age! Of course, you'll need regular practice, but learning how to do push-ups is not as difficult as, say, doing pull-ups.
The most important thing to remember if you want to learn how to do push-ups efficiently and effectively: you must always follow correct technique from the very first repetition of the exercise. Even if you start with simple variations of the exercise, remember to use proper form and technique.
In order to start doing push-ups from scratch, we offer you a step-by-step program for beginners. Thanks to this scheme, everyone can learn push-ups!
A ready-made diagram on how to learn to do push-ups for beginners
In order to learn how to do push-ups, you will need to master 3 stages of push-ups . You need to exercise daily, you need to perform 3-4 approaches maximum number repetitions in each approach. Perhaps your first attempts will not allow you to do more than 5-10 push-ups, but every day you will progress.
If you feel like you haven't made the progress you want at the end of the week, then continue doing the same push-up modification for another week. It is better to move to the next difficulty level after you can do push-ups 30-40 times without stopping. Don't forget about correct technique doing push-ups!
Week 1: Wall push-ups
Wall push-ups are an exercise that everyone can do. Such vertical push-ups are a great introductory exercise that will help you master push-ups later on.
Week 2: Knee push-ups
The next level is knee push-ups. Please note that even when doing push-ups from the knees, the body should maintain a straight line, the pelvis should not go up.
Week 3: Push-ups
Once you have mastered knee push-ups, you can move on to bench push-ups. Attention, there is a nuance here. The higher the bench, the easier it will be for you to do push-ups. Therefore, you can change the height of the surface, thereby slowly preparing yourself for push-ups from the floor.
Week 4: Push-ups
After three weeks of regular push-ups, your body will be ready for push-ups. Remember that it is better to do fewer repetitions, but with full amplitude (elbows should bend 90 degrees).
How many times should you do push-ups: ready-made push-up patterns
We emphasize once again that you should never chase quantity while neglecting quality. In addition, you don't always need to strive for more repetitions. How many times you need to do push-ups depends on your goals.
So, there are several possible situations:
1. If you want pump up and increase muscle mass in volume, then move towards increasing weight and complexity. For example, use barbell plates or elevate your feet on a bench. Training scheme: 10-12 repetitions of 3-4 approaches.
2. If you want lose weight and get relief, then move towards increasing the number of repetitions. Perform 15-25 repetitions in 5 sets. You can increase the total number of push-ups weekly or move on to more complex modifications.
3. If you want develop endurance and functional strength, then also move towards increasing the number of repetitions and choosing more complex modifications of floor push-ups, including plyometrics.
An example of a ready-made push-up scheme for increasing endurance and losing weight:
An example of a ready-made push-up scheme to increase muscle mass:
21 variations of push-ups in GIFs!
We offer you a unique selection: 21 variations of push-ups in visual GIF animations! The proposed exercise modifications are divided into 3 levels of difficulty. Please note that the complexity of the exercise is often determined by individual characteristics and specific training experience, so the gradation is not universal.
Thanks to the YouTube channel for the gifs Luka Hocevar.
Push-ups on the floor: difficulty level 1
1. Wide Push up
2. Push up with Reach
3. Knee Tap Push up
4. Shoulder Tap Push up
5. Triangular push-ups (Diamond Push up)
