How to Do Pushups
The pushup is a versatile bodyweight exercise that strengthens multiple upper body muscles while engaging your core. This compound movement is essential in any fitness routine, from beginners to advanced athletes, and can be modified to suit different fitness levels.
Benefits of Pushups
- Builds upper body strength without equipment
- Enhances core stability and shoulder strength
- Improves posture and body alignment
- Increases functional fitness for everyday activities
- Boosts metabolic rate when included in circuit training
- Develops muscular endurance and strength simultaneously
Targeted Muscle Groups
- Primary muscles: Pectoralis major (chest), triceps brachii, anterior deltoids (front shoulders)
- Secondary muscles: Serratus anterior, core muscles (including rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis), rhomboids, trapezius
Proper Technique
Follow these steps to perform a perfect pushup:
Get into a high plank position. Place your hands firmly on the ground, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your fingers should be pointing forward or slightly outward. Ground your toes into the floor and distribute your weight evenly between your hands and toes.
Establish proper alignment. Create a straight line from your head to your heels by engaging your core. Your neck should remain neutral (don't drop your head or look up), and your shoulders should be directly above your wrists.
Lower your body. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor. Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your body, not flared out to the sides. Maintain your straight body position throughout the movement.
Touch and push. Lower until your chest is about an inch from the ground or as low as you can go while maintaining proper form. Briefly touch the floor if possible.
Push back up. Exhale as you push through your palms to straighten your arms, returning to the starting position. Focus on pushing the floor away from you rather than just lifting your body.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Sagging hips: Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement to maintain a straight line from head to heels.
- Flared elbows: Elbows should track at about a 45-degree angle to your body, not straight out to the sides.
- Incomplete range of motion: Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor for maximum muscle engagement.
- Neck misalignment: Keep your neck neutral, not dropped down or looking up excessively.
- Hand positioning too narrow or wide: Proper hand placement is slightly wider than shoulder-width for standard pushups.
Variations
- Knee pushups: Perform with knees on the ground for beginners or those building strength.
- Incline pushups: Place hands on an elevated surface to reduce difficulty.
- Decline pushups: Place feet on an elevated surface to increase difficulty and target upper chest more.
- Diamond pushups: Position hands close together under the chest to increase triceps engagement.
- Wide pushups: Place hands wider than shoulder width to emphasize chest muscles more.
Tips for Beginners
Start with modified versions like wall pushups or incline pushups if standard pushups are too challenging. Focus on quality over quantity, maintaining proper form throughout each repetition. Begin with 3 sets of 5-10 repetitions with proper form, gradually increasing as strength improves. Incorporate rest days between training sessions to allow muscles to recover.