What's the best way to do push-ups? Correct push-ups: technique, breathing

    Push-ups are perhaps one of the most effective and common functional exercises among athletes. It has gained well-deserved popularity in fitness, bodybuilding, martial arts and, of course, crossfit. What can I say - in absolutely every sports discipline there is more than one effective push-up program, thanks to which you can quickly and without extreme effort achieve serious progress in the development of your own body. Considering what muscles work when pushing up from the floor, it is fair to note that this exercise not only strengthens the elbow ligaments, tendons, loads the chest and triceps, but also has a positive effect on the development of strength and speed of punching and elbowing.

    Push-ups, pull-ups - all these exercises are an indicator of the general physical training athlete. Therefore every supporter healthy image In life, you simply must not only be able to do push-ups, but also constantly work to increase your personal results in push-ups. This requires much less time and effort than it might initially seem. And 100 repetitions, which for many people just starting to train seems like some kind of prohibitive result, is quite achievable if you set such a goal.

    The article is entirely devoted to how to do push-ups correctly. In addition to this, you will also learn:

    • which particular program of push-ups will provide you with rapid personal progress (for clarity, a table and diagram of push-ups are provided);
    • what muscles work and swing when doing push-ups;
    • what types of exercises exist and what is the correct technique for performing each of them;
    • who set the world record in this area;
    • what are the benefits of push-ups for men and women.

    World records in push-ups

    The Guinness World Record for the most push-ups is held by Japanese athlete Minoru Yoshida, set in October 1980. The athlete was able to perform 10,507 push-ups in one approach without stopping.

    Another discipline that is no less interesting is push-ups on one arm in 60 seconds. The world record belongs to the Georgian athlete Giorgi Basilashvili, who was only 16 years old at the time of setting the record. Basilashvili was able to complete 157 repetitions in one minute.

    Italian Charles Servicio did more than 46,000 push-ups in 24 hours. Thus, he set another world record in the category “ Largest quantity push-ups in 24 hours.”

    Don’t let these five-digit numbers seem so unattainable and unrealistic to you. Below is a table that shows a very effective push-up pattern. If you build your training program taking into account this scheme, you will very quickly achieve significant progress, even starting from scratch. A little perseverance, regular exercise and the pursuit of your goal - and it is possible that the next record for push-ups will be yours.

    What muscles work when doing push-ups?

    The ability to perform push-ups technically correctly will be useful to an athlete involved in any sport. Push-ups are often called “reverse bench presses,” since the biomechanics of these exercises are almost identical, only the plane in which the movement is performed differs. To perform the exercise correctly, it is important to know which muscles are working at this moment.

    The main part of the load when performing push-ups is taken by the pectoral muscles and triceps, and the load can be varied: the wider the arms are, the smaller the amplitude and the more the pectoral muscles work; the narrower the position, the greater the amplitude and the more the triceps work.

    To be extremely precise, when describing which muscles work when pushing up from the floor, it should be noted that they are loaded

    • The lower and outer parts of the pectoral muscles,
    • Medial triceps, anterior deltoids,
    • gluteal muscles,
    • Abdominal and lower back muscles.

    Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to visit the gym several times a week, regularly doing push-ups will be enough to keep these muscle groups in good shape.

    Add pull-ups, bodyweight squats, and any other push-up to your push-ups. basic exercise on the abs and you can easily work out all muscle groups at home.

    Of course, this set of exercises will not be enough to develop strength indicators or gain impressive weight. muscle mass, but it’s quite enough to keep yourself in shape.

    Benefits of doing the exercise

    The benefits of push-ups lie not only in working specific muscle groups. Push ups different types(classical, standing, uneven bars, etc.) are always included in the training process of martial artists, since their regular and intensive execution increases the strength and speed of the blow, as well as the endurance of the muscles of the entire shoulder girdle, which is very important for a fighter of any level when working in Full contact.

    All of the above applies primarily to men. But what is the use of push-ups for women if they do not set themselves the goal of improving their fighting qualities or achieving hypertrophy of the pectoral muscles and triceps? Regularly performing push-ups consumes a large number of calories, which will be a kind of assistant in losing weight.

    According to research, 30 push-ups burn about 60-80 calories. For comparison - 100 grams of boiled chicken breast contain 113 calories, and 100 ml of Coca-Cola - 43 calories.

    As a result of doing push-ups, metabolism improves and the lipolysis process proceeds much faster. Local load on the chest and triceps will visually improve muscle relief and “tighten” these areas, which is especially important for women during the recovery period after childbirth and breastfeeding. Regular push-ups will help remove excess accumulated fatty tissue and get rid of cellulite on your arms, which will only emphasize your athletic shape.

    In addition, push-ups are an excellent way to prevent arthritis and bursitis. Studies show that subjects with early-stage arthritis performed 80 push-ups daily for four weeks, as a result of which almost 75% of them noted an overall improvement in their well-being and the disappearance of pain in the joints.

    Harm of push-ups and contraindications

    Despite the fact that push-ups are technically quite simple and at the same time effective exercise, not everyone will benefit from it. If you are experiencing chronic diseases joints, such as arthrosis, arthritis, bursitis, push-ups are contraindicated for you, as they can aggravate the symptoms of the disease at any time. Also, during push-ups from the floor, an axial load is created on the spine, so athletes suffering from hernias, protrusions and curvatures of the spine should be no less careful.

    You should not rely on push-ups and other exercises performed with your own weight if you have overweight bodies. You obviously don’t need any extra stress on your elbow joints. A much more rational way would be to gradually get rid of excess weight with the help of a balanced diet and cardio exercise, while at the same time toning the muscles with the help of isolated exercises on special simulators.

    Any harm that this exercise could potentially entail is in one way or another associated with a violation of the correct technique. Therefore, if you feel discomfort while performing push-ups, then look for the reasons for this in the next section.

    Exercise technique

    In this section we will look at how to do push-ups correctly. Let's start with general rules performing the exercise and then we will talk about the features of the technique with a shift in emphasis to one or another muscle group (triceps, pectoral muscles).

    How to do push-ups correctly? Step by step rules:

    • Take a lying position. It is important to keep your whole body straight and taut like a string, only then will the exercise be performed technically correctly. The shoulders should be located slightly above the level of the pelvis, and in no case vice versa.
    • Statically tighten your abdominal muscles to make it easier for you to control your body position.

    • Place your palms at shoulder level parallel to each other, do not move them forward or back. The optimal placement of the hands is shoulder width or slightly wider.
    • Elbows point straight back. Do not place them to the sides - this position is extremely traumatic for the elbow joints and ligaments.
    • The gaze should not be directed strictly downward or strictly forward. Place your head in a comfortable position without rounding your cervical spine.

    • Begin to slowly lower yourself down, bending your elbows and inhaling at the same time. Remember to keep your back straight.
    • Go down to education right angle between the biceps and forearm. Then straighten your elbows, exhale, and return to the starting position.

    This technique of performing push-ups will help you significantly develop your performance in this exercise, increase the strength of your shoulders, triceps and pectoral muscles, and also protect you from unwanted injuries to joints and ligaments.

    Push-ups with emphasis on the pectoral muscles

    Push-ups with emphasis on the pectoral muscles are performed as follows:

  1. The athlete takes a lying position - palms are placed on the floor slightly wider than shoulders, legs are extended down, toes rest firmly on the floor, back is straight, gaze is directed forward.
  2. We begin to go down, the movement should be carried out with average speed. IN lowest point There should be a small distance between the chest and the floor (about 3-5 cm). However, you can perform the exercise until your chest touches the floor if you have sufficient mobility in your shoulder joints for this. This type of push-up is more popular in CrossFit.
  3. Start moving to the starting position, straightening your arms. We linger in the starting position for 1 second, after which we repeat the movement. To place more emphasis on the pectoral muscles, try to place your elbows slightly to the sides rather than pressing them against your body. Work with partial range of motion, keeping your chest muscles in constant voltage and without fully extending your elbows.

The pectoral muscles also work great when performing exercises in which the athlete must lower himself down as slowly as possible. Thus, it statically strains the lower pectoral muscles. To additionally load your chest, you can perform negative push-ups with your hands slightly above floor level, for example, on dumbbells. This will allow you to better stretch your pectoral muscles and increase the effectiveness of the exercise. You will immediately feel a strong pump.

A good exercise for working the upper pectoral muscles is push-ups upside down. They are performed in the same way as classic push-ups, but the athlete places his feet on a height of 40-60 cm. This can be a bench for bench press in gym, sofa, bed or chair.

Push-ups upside down (with your hands on a hill) also have a place in chest training, here the emphasis falls on the lower part of the chest. For most inexperienced athletes, this option is much easier than classic push-ups. Therefore, it makes sense to start studying the exercise with it, that’s all technical principles exactly the same.

Push-ups with emphasis on triceps

Push-ups with an emphasis on the triceps are performed as follows:

  1. The athlete takes the position lying down, but the hands are positioned slightly narrower, approximately at chest level, and placed parallel to each other.
  2. We begin to go down. The range of movement is the same, but the elbows should be placed closer to the body.
  3. We straighten our arms, return to the starting position and perform the movement again. To additionally load the medial head of the triceps, try to work in a limited amplitude. Don't go all the way down so as not to engage your pectoral muscles. Do not straighten your elbows at the top point - this will put maximum load on the triceps.

The lion's share of the load falls on the triceps when performing push-ups on your fists. I recommend alternating these two variations of the exercise so that the load on the triceps varies from workout to workout. Remember that variety in your training process is the key to continuous progress and improvement of your performance.

Any type of push-up can be made more difficult. For example, perform it using additional weights (usually a disc from a barbell on the back or a special weight vest weighing from 5 to 20 kg). This will greatly increase the load on the working muscle groups. But I would not recommend performing push-ups with additional weight for athletes with spinal problems. This exercise creates an angle of axial load on the spine that is unnatural for the human body (the weight presses directly on the cervical and thoracic spine).

Common mistakes when doing push-ups

There are several mistakes that all beginners make at first. Let's look at each of them in detail.

Hands too wide

Many athletes believe that by placing their arms wider, they will shift more of the load to the pectoral muscles. This is partly true, but at the same time you will increase the load on your shoulder, elbow joints and ligaments many times over, which can lead to serious injury in the long run.

Incorrect elbow placement

Push-ups are not the same as dips. Here you will not be able to better load your chest by turning your elbows in different sides, but you are almost guaranteed to get injured.

Incorrect (incomplete) range of motion

If it is difficult for you to do push-ups at full amplitude due to insufficient physical training, it is better to hold off on this exercise for now. Remember: at the bottom, your arms should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees, only then you can get the maximum benefit from push-ups.

Back arch

Straight back is the main condition correct execution push-ups. The slightest deflection will immediately create a strong axial load on the spine. If you find it difficult to keep your back straight throughout the entire approach, you should additionally train your spinal extensors and abdominal muscles.

And in conclusion, we suggest watching a video that shows the errors described above.

How to breathe correctly when doing push-ups?

In the pursuit of increasing the number of repetitions, many athletes forget about the most important thing - the correct breathing technique. This is a serious mistake, since an incorrect breathing rate can increase blood and intracranial pressure. In this case, you will get more harm than benefit from the exercise. Golden Rule of all strength sports says: exhalation is always done with effort. In other words: inhalation is done when we go down, exhalation is done when we go up.

If you have difficulty maintaining the correct breathing rate, you are probably doing the exercise at too explosive a pace and simply do not have time to inhale and exhale in time. In this case, you should reduce the speed of push-ups and make the movement more smoothly, stopping at the top point. The correct technique for performing push-ups should come first.

Another common cause of improper breathing is smoking. In our experience, even running makes a smoker suffer less than push-ups. The way out of the situation is simple and understandable to everyone - quit smoking immediately. After this, you will immediately feel that your breathing has returned to normal when performing exercises and is no longer so disrupted, and your workouts are much easier and more enjoyable.

Scheme of push-ups from scratch

If you have great difficulty in completing even 5-10 repetitions of the exercise, you need to ask yourself how to increase the number of push-ups and choose the optimal training method for yourself, aimed at personal progress. Below is a table of push-ups that will help you achieve very good results.

Incorporated into your regular workout routine, this push-up circuit will help you get up to 100 reps per set of this exercise. However, be prepared that this will take time. The push-up program has 22 workouts and will take you at least 7 weeks to complete. Push-up training occurs three times a week (every other day, since one day will be enough to restore muscle fibers in this case). The workouts alternate between working in low and high rep ranges. It is not recommended to combine push-up training with strength training or CrossFit training in the gym; it is better to take care of your body, its energy resources are not endless.

It should be noted that in addition to increasing the number of repetitions, it is also a good idea this scheme push-ups for muscle growth. It is important to follow the correct exercise technique, monitor your breathing rate and rest enough between approaches (1-2 minutes until breathing is completely restored) in order to fully restore ATP reserves in muscle cells.

Workout numberNumber of approaches and repetitions
1 5x5
2 2x10
3 5x8
4 2x15
5 5x12
6 2x20
7 5x16
8 2x28
9 5x22
10 2x36
11 6x28
12 1x46
13 6x36
14 1x60
15 6x44
16 1x70
17 6x52
18 1x80
19 6x64
20 1x90
21 4x70
22 1x100

Push-up program for a month

Once you have mastered the correct push-up technique, you should begin to gradually try to increase your result. Not a single athlete in the world is able to perform a hundred push-ups in one approach in the first training session. The program presented below is designed for 30 days, with one day of rest between workouts. This training method will help beginning athletes quickly achieve decent results.

GTO standards for push-ups

Push-ups are a mandatory part of the state GTO program. For men and women, the number of push-ups is, of course, different. The difference in the number of repetitions also varies depending on age group athlete. Each badge has different standards. The lower table contains the current GTO standards for push-ups.

Men

Women

AgeNumber of repetitions per:
Bronze badgeSilver badgeGold badge
6-8 4 5 11
9-10 5 7 12
11-12 7 8 14
13-15 7 9 15
16-17 9 10 16
18-24 10 12 14
25-29 10 12 14
30-34 6 8 12
35-39 6 8 12
For women over 40 years of age, there is a single standard; there is no differentiation by level of training.
40-44 12
45-49 10
50-54 8
55-59 6
60-69 6 (with emphasis on the gymnastic bench)
70+ 5 (with emphasis on the chair seat)

Crossfit complexes with push-ups

Push-ups are the basis of many functional complexes aimed at developing the speed and strength qualities of the muscles of the shoulder girdle. CrossFit was originally closely associated with push-ups, as many basic movements and elements, such as burpees, are built on the basis of this exercise.

The table below shows 4 functional training programs containing push-ups, with which you can work large muscle groups in your body and improve skills such as endurance and explosiveness.

If you liked working in this mode, you can independently develop several more similar programs for yourself. For example, you can combine push-ups with and other exercises. Such a complex load will help to work out all muscle groups at once. a short time, which makes the training program extremely intense and effective.

Push-ups are an effective exercise for training various muscles of the body. The best results from classes can only be achieved if all the nuances are followed. This guide will help you learn how to do push-ups correctly.

Physical exercise not only helps you stay fit, but also keeps your spirits up throughout the day. long years. We all remember physical education lessons from school, but not everyone knows how to do push-ups correctly. There are a great variety of options for performing this exercise, not to mention the fact that training using additional equipment is possible.

In addition to classic push-ups (lying position, hands shoulder-width apart), there are other positions of the arms and legs; push-ups from the fists, from the ribs of the palms or on the fingers are possible. With additional load, clapping or on one hand. For all these exercises you need only 2 things - the floor (or any other flat surface) and the goal in the form of the desired result. At the same time, you need a desire to learn and practice regularity in the future.

What are the benefits of push-ups?

Like any physical exercise, push-ups help increase physical strength, improve health, improve your figure and burn extra calories. With regular training, it will not be difficult for you to achieve all these goals. Through push-ups, not only the chest and arms are pumped up, as is commonly believed. Exercises can be aimed at strengthening the back or abdomen.

Before you engage in physical exercise, analyze your health status. It is not recommended to exercise during the period of complications of various diseases, especially those related to the cardiovascular system. Push-ups belong to the category of strength exercises, during which the respiratory and cardiovascular system, so people with poor health will find it difficult to maintain the desired pace.

How often should you exercise?

For your training to be effective, it must be done systematically. In addition, the exercises themselves should include several approaches and periods of rest. Instead of doing 100 push-ups at once, do 4 sets of 25 exercises. This way your workout will give maximum results.

Even if you are only able to do 30 push-ups, divide this complex into 3 approaches. This way you won’t get overtired and reduce the risk of traumatic situations. The exercise should take place until moderate muscle fatigue occurs. Breaks between workouts should be at least 36 hours. During training, muscle tissue is destroyed, so it needs a break to recover.

Daily training will not speed up the process, but rather slow it down, because the muscles will not have time to recover. Ideally, the calm period should be 48 hours, the minimum limit is 36.

You choose the optimal time for training yourself. The only thing you shouldn't do is workout too late before bed. If you do any sports in addition to push-ups, try to take breaks between workouts. Excessive load, even on different parts of the body, will reduce overall productivity.

Before a set of push-ups, do several warm-up exercises, and after training, be sure to stretch. This will help reduce the risk of injury muscle tissue and will relieve the unpleasant symptoms of lactic acid accumulation in the muscles.

Systematic training involves a gradual increase in the number of exercises. But don't be discouraged if at some point your body refuses to increase the load. This is normal, the body needs a break. Keep doing the workouts and over time you will achieve the desired results.

If you injured a muscle during a previous workout and the pain remains at the start of the next one, stop training temporarily. Most likely you need a longer rest. But if the pain is not caused by general fatigue, it is better to consult a specialist.

How to do push-ups correctly

Technique

In order to learn how to do push-ups correctly, you need to understand the essence of the exercise. Stand up straight, press the back of your hand to your chest. Tighten your chest and make a movement as if you are pushing something. Feel your body at this moment, feel which muscles are involved in the process. To do this, place your other hand on your chest and feel the tension coming out.

Next step- This is a push-up from the knees. the main objective here is to feel all the muscles, so perform the exercise at the slowest pace possible. Pay attention to the position of your body: your knees, pelvis, back and head should form one straight line. Both with the upper and lower position of the body, there should be no kinks in this line. If you do push-ups correctly, then in addition to tension in your arms and chest, you will also feel tension in your abdomen.

Next, move on to classic push-ups. But remember that technically correct execution of the exercise implies a tightened, level pelvis that does not protrude upward, and that the stomach and back do not sag. There is no need to push up too deeply, touching your chest or chin to the floor. A distance of 3-5 centimeters is acceptable, the main thing in this position is the angle of flexion at the elbow, it should be 90°.

Requirements for deeper push-ups are not justified. Rather, on the contrary, when your chest or chin touches the floor, you bend in these parts. As a result, incorrect execution of the exercise, which can lead to undesirable consequences.

When returning the body to the upper position, do not bend your arms at the elbow joints too much. Having your elbows too straight is a technical error that can lead to pain or injury in your elbows.

Breath

During physical exercise It is important to monitor your breathing. Inhale as you bend over, and exhale as you return to your original position. Many beginners make the mistake of holding their breath when feeling physical stress. This cannot be done. If you feel that it is difficult for you to breathe, reduce the amount of exercise. The pace of push-ups should match the pace of free breathing.

Classic push-ups train the triceps and shoulders. The biceps are practically not involved during this exercise. This option is good for beginner athletes. But if you want to increase the load, try push-ups with your fists. This method will help develop the hand and back of the hand.

Remember that you need to switch to fists carefully. At first, place a towel or do push-ups on mats. Gradually move to a harder surface, and after a few months of training you will be able to do push-ups on bare concrete without any discomfort.

For those who are planning to move on, it is recommended to master the finger push-up technique. This type of training can only be done by trained people. Otherwise, wrist fractures are possible. For the first training, a long handstand on the fingers is enough. As soon as this state becomes comfortable for you, you can start doing 1-2 sets of push-ups.

Other types of push-ups

If you need to strengthen the chest area, change the position of your arms. Take a normal lying position, but place your arms wider than your shoulders. As you inhale, lower your body down so that your elbows are at a right angle. As you exhale, rise to the original position.

To transfer the main tension to your hands, change their position from wide to narrow. Option one is a lying position with your hands close together. Spread your feet wider. Option two (diamond push-ups) – place your hands so that your big and index fingers touched. As you inhale, lower your body down. Make sure your elbows are close to or close to your body. As you exhale, lift your torso up.

Push-ups on one leg will help you actively develop your core. The main difficulty is maintaining balance, for this you will have to strain your whole body. Take a lying position, place one foot on top of the other so that the toe rests on the instep of the heel of the supporting leg. Do push-ups as you would with a normal leg position.

Exercises using a fitball will also help strengthen your torso. The first option is to kneel down and place your hands on the ball. Stand on your toes, lean forward so that your chest is above the fitball. Do push-ups. For greater effectiveness of the exercise, stay in the lower position with straight elbows for 1-2 seconds.

The second option is to lie face down on the ball. Push your hands well and slowly move forward along the fitball so that the ball is located under your feet. Do push-ups by analogy with the previous exercise, holding in the lower position.

Programs for girls differ significantly from men's training. You won't see push-ups with fists or fingers, one-arm push-ups, or two-arm push-ups. Classic push-ups are the basis of women's training. No more effective exercise to tighten your chest and strengthen your shoulders. Besides this great option for those who want to lose some weight. You won’t achieve great results in losing weight with push-ups, but you can remove 1-2 kg.

Like men, women need to warm up well before doing push-ups, and it is recommended to stretch after exercise. Break all push-ups into several approaches. For example, do 3 times 5 push-ups. Don’t try to do everything in one approach, as this increases the risk of overworking your arm muscles.

If you are doing push-ups for the first time, take the push-up position from your knees. Hands shoulder-width apart, knees, pelvis and body form one straight line. When bending, your arms should bend parallel to your body. Breathe evenly, do not hold the air. As you inhale, bend, and as you exhale, lift. If you find it difficult to maintain this breathing rhythm, reduce the number of exercises.

A heavier option is classic push-ups. The technology is the same, only you take the starting position on your toes, and not from your knees. You can increase the load with an additional stand or fitball under your feet.

Remember that any exercise should be performed in comfortable clothes. Don't push yourself too hard. If you felt discomfort or pain, stretch. The maximum effect is achieved with moderate training two, maximum 3 times a week.

Do push-ups correctly- that means in short term develop physical strength, build up the shoulder girdle and chest muscles, i.e. training gives stress to several muscle groups at once. You don't even have to leave home to do a workout. You can do push-ups correctly at home, since no equipment is required.

Lie down on the floor and place your palms shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms and lower your body. Then, raise your body, keeping your back straight, resting on the surface with the balls of your toes. The gaze is directed downwards, and not towards the stomach or in front of you. This is a classic training, known since childhood.

But it’s not immediately possible to master the technique that allows you to do the exercise correctly, so let’s look at it in more detail. It is very important to breathe correctly when doing push-ups: while inhaling, bend your arms at the elbows (at least to an angle of 90 degrees), lowering your chest down (you don’t need to touch it to the floor). The chest is at a distance of 3-5 cm from it. The elbows are as close as possible to the body, which forms a straight line with the legs. Exhaling, return to the starting position. It is forbidden to straighten your arms completely: they should be slightly bent, which will prevent pain in the elbow joint. If your arms are very tired, you are allowed to rest at the top point.

It is correct when sports movements are performed at an average pace so that muscle tension is felt. Doing push-ups correctly means that it takes no more than 2 seconds to lower and raise your torso.

What to do if push-ups fail

This happens if the muscles are not developed enough, which is typical for beginner athletes. They are recommended to improve their body by resorting to lighter versions of push-ups:

By resting your knees on the floor and placing a blanket, towel or gymnastics mat folded several times under them, it is easier to perform the exercise than by resting your toes on the floor. The following requirements are still relevant: maintain a breathing rhythm and a straight line of the torso and hips, and do not straighten your arms to the end.

The following variation of correct push-ups is also possible: They rest their feet on the floor, and their hands on a low bench or stable stools.

If this fails, use the following methods:

Wall push-ups. To do this, stand at a short distance from the wall, rest your palms against it and begin to bend and straighten your arms. As they gain experience, they move on to training from a bench or with emphasis on the knees, and then to correct push-ups from the floor.

What muscles are pumped up?

Floor exercises help train your shoulders, pectoral muscles, and increase arm strength and mobility.

By performing sports movements regularly and correctly, you develop:

  • large chest muscles, which are located in the upper part of the body;
  • triceps (triceps brachii muscle), responsible for straightening the arms;
  • deltoid muscles, giving a characteristic slope and volume to the shoulder girdle;
  • biceps (biceps muscles) responsible for bending the elbows. At the same time, their volume does not increase, but their strength does.

How to do push-ups correctly to pump up your pectoral muscles

When an athlete learns how to do push-ups correctly, to improve the achieved results, he can use advanced training:

  • Place your palms wider than your shoulders (the main load falls on the ore muscles, the shoulder girdle is little involved).
  • The hands do not protrude beyond the projection of the elbows onto the floor, the back is straight, and the abs are tense.
  • Using your pectoral muscles, lift your body.

What is useful to know when pumping triceps

It is more productive to swing them with your hands a few centimeters apart from each other, with your feet wider than in the previous version for better balance.

Bend your elbows, keeping them close to your body. Rise up, squeezing your triceps. To train the muscles of the back wall of the shoulders, push-ups are done with the hands located close to each other (thumbs and index fingers touching).

Some athletes prefer to do push-ups with their fists. This technique helps protect your wrists because all the weight is placed on your knuckles.

Options for proper push-ups that help pump up muscles as much as possible

Various complications allow you to load the muscles of one or another group even more.

  • With your feet elevated and your hands on the floor, you perform push-ups, which increase the load on the muscles of your chest and arms.
  • When you have gained enough experience and strength, try push-ups with your feet resting on a wall (or standing on your hands).
  • And one more exercise. The starting position is the same as for traditional push-ups, only one foot rests on the floor, and the toe of the other foot rests on the heel of it. This type of training requires more effort because you have to maintain balance.

As your strength increases, you can try very slow push-ups, lasting about a minute. It is correct when breathing is always free during push-ups.

In the process of systematic push-ups, the pectoral muscles and triceps are effectively pumped. The choice of training method depends on your specific goals and level of physical ability. You can do push-ups from the floor, on parallel bars, and even between two chairs.

The technique of push-ups in general is not very complicated; the exercises can be performed both in a fist stand and on the palms. In the first case, you will strengthen and harden the striking parts of the hands, which is important for effective training in martial arts.

If your goal is to significantly increase muscle strength and build muscle, you will need the help of a partner. It, either by its direct action or through additional weights placed on your back, will create resistance to the movements of your core, adding and subtracting weight as needed.

If you want to become more resilient and make your muscles more prominent, you can do push-ups without additional weights, trying to increase the number of repetitions performed.

Secrets of effective push-ups

Exists effective technique push-ups, which maximally involves the muscles in work. Its secret lies in the incomplete range of motion when lowering and raising the body. That is, when doing push-ups, you do not fully bend and straighten your arms at the elbow joints, thus the muscles do not have time to rest and make the most of their own resources.

To get good results, one more point should be taken into account: the shorter the rest between approaches, the stronger impact from the training. But at the same time, do not forget to monitor your well-being.

Experienced athletes know that during push-ups, developed triceps take on most of the load. They can be partially disabled to ensure the most effective development of the chest muscles. To do this, before regular push-ups, you need to perform exercises to pump the triceps muscles, you can also alternate various techniques. For example, combine push-ups with a narrow support (hands are at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other) with exercises based on conventional technique.

If you build supports for your arms out of several bricks, you will be able to do push-ups, stretching, and thereby pumping up your muscles to the maximum. In this case, it is important not to bend too deeply, as this can lead to injury. Before you begin this technique, you should warm up your muscles and ligaments well.

When performing the last two push-ups in each approach, stop at 50% of the exercise (arms bent at the elbows) and try to hold this position for one or two minutes. Static exercises are very difficult, but they additionally develop strength and endurance.

The number of sets and repetitions of push-ups will depend on the task you set and your level of physical fitness. You can start with 10-15 repetitions and 2-3 approaches, gradually increasing the number of push-ups to 50 in a row or more.

By training in this way 3 times a week for 30-40 minutes, you will keep yourself in excellent physical shape.

Push-ups are a simple and understandable exercise for everyone. If you know how to do it, you can do a full workout anywhere.

According to Wikipedia, push-ups are an exercise to improve a person's overall physical strength, which are performed from a prone position, face down. Push-ups develop the pectoral muscles, triceps, deltoids, back, abs, and, they say, even the leg muscles.

Zozhnik co-founder Yulia Kuderova decided to learn how to do push-ups. And now she does it all the time. For example, during a blog tour to Montenegro, she did ten push-ups wherever there was at least an approximately flat surface.

How to do push-ups correctly. Do it once

Lie face down on the floor, place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Keep your body straight and, slowly bending your elbows, lower your body to the floor, then lift it back up. The body should be lifted solely by the strength of the arms; do not help yourself by bending in the lower back. Try not to let your buttocks stick out to the top or arch your back to the bottom while performing the exercise. The head should look towards the floor.

The standard position for push-ups is with your hands shoulder-width apart and your elbows pointing out to the sides at a 45-degree angle from your body. Fingers point forward. In this position, the load is distributed evenly between all the muscles that take part in push-ups.

Depending on the position of the hands, the load on various muscles will change. Hands stand wider than shoulders, elbows spread to a right angle relative to the body - the load will go to the deltoid muscle and pectoralis major. Hands stand close to the body, elbows parallel to the body - triceps and hamstrings pectoral muscle. The tilt of the torso also plays a role. If the head is higher, the lower part of the chest sways, if lower (and the legs are correspondingly higher, for example, they stand on a support) - top part chest and abdominal muscles.

How to do push-ups correctly. Do one and a half

If doing push-ups at least once is an impossible task for you, then it’s okay. There are many alternative, easier ways to do this:

  • Knee push-ups- you can do the same push-ups, but rest on your knees rather than on your toes, thereby halving the weight you lift. This way of performing the exercise does not mean that you can bend over and help yourself with your abdominal muscles. Only your arms and chest should work.

  • Bench push-ups- You can rest your hands on a low bench or chair. This will allow you to focus on working your muscles instead of straining your regular push-ups. But before you start, be sure to make sure that the bench is stable.

  • Wall push-ups. If all the push-up methods listed above seem complicated, don’t despair. Wall push-ups significantly reduce the load on your arms, chest, abs and lower back. In addition, you can adjust this load yourself by approaching and moving away from the wall. As soon as you gain strength and confidence, proceed to more complex push-ups.