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Do You Struggle With Push-ups. Follow These 6 Tips and You'll Push-up Like a Pro!

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Published: 13Aug2009
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The Push-up. It is probably the most basic and most popular exercise of all time - from gym class to group fitness classes around the world. But being popular in this case doesn't necessarily mean being well liked! In fact, I think it is safe to say that the majority of people really HATE push-ups. More specifically, the push-up tends to be the undying nemesis for people who carry extra body weight and for most females who feel they do not have the upper-body strength to ever be able to do anything but "wuss-ups," or modified push-ups on the knees.

The goal of this article is to address everything you need to know about performing the push-up with proper form. Remember, people only hate what they are not good at it. In other words, I am confident that though you may currently hate push-ups, by following these tips you will finally unveil your true push-up potential.

The Benefits

Right next to pull-ups, a push-up is the greatest upper body exercise of all time. In fact, I believe they are one of the best total body exercises around.

Push-ups work primarily your chest, triceps, and front shoulders. However, they also place a great demand on your core strength and stability. After all, your spinal stabilizers (transverse abdominis and spinal erectors) need to have the endurance to maintain that critical straight-line position throughout the duration of your push-ups for optimal safety and performance. In addition, push-ups engage your scapular muscles (shoulder blades) in a way that most pushing exercises do not, thus providing some much needed mid and upper back work that most trainees are missing out on. Furthermore, maintaining the proper position throughout the movement requires that you tense and engage every muscle on the front side of your body from your feet to your shoulders. Heck, if you squeeze your glutes (which you should as this helps protect your lower back), you even get your booty involved!

Finally, push-ups are the ultimate anywhere, anytime exercise that requires nothing but your body-weight and space the size of your frame to perform.

How to Perform a Perfect Push-up

Though nearly everyone reading this has attempted a push-up at some time in his or her life, the vast majority of people have never performed one with a full range of motion using perfect form and technique. If this describes you, don't sweat it (there was a time when I absolutely sucked at push-ups). It's not your fault if no one ever taught you how to perform them properly. Let's face it, you're gym teacher probably wasn't much help...

"Alright gimme push-ups NOW! No, not like that, get lower! What's wrong with you? It's just a push-up! If you don't do them right, we're going to do them all day! I've got the time!"

But, what's done is done. Let's move on.

Below is a complete list of technique and coaching points regarding how to perform a perfect push-up:

1- Simultaneously tuck your elbows to your sides and pull your shoulders blades down and back: It's critical to keep your elbows close to your ribcage while performing push-ups. Letting your elbows "sprawl" away from your torso puts your rotator cuff at a much greater risk for injury. In addition, since most of us are so upper trap dominant, we tend to shrug our shoulders during push-ups. This scapular elevation can lead to clicking and grinding of the shoulder (known as shoulder impingement syndrome). To avoid these pitfalls, visualize trying to hug your elbows to your ribcage while cracking a nut between your shoulder blades during all push-ups.

2- Simultaneously suck in your gut and brace your abs: As mentioned earlier, the push-up is a great core exercise that requires good muscular endurance for your deep spinal stabilizers. By pulling your navel to your spine and bracing your abs as if you were about to be kicked in the gut, you will best activate those key core muscles.

3- Simultaneously tense your thighs and squeeze your glutes: The straighter your legs are the more stable you will be. This is easily accomplished by tensing your thighs throughout the exercise. Furthermore, tense your butt cheeks- this helps relax overactive hip flexors, thus alleviating unnecessary strain on the lower back.

4- Power breathing: In general, seek to focus on inhaling during the lowering portion and then forcefully exhaling during the lifting portion. By filling your belly with air during the lowering portion you make it easier to stabilize your spine, meaning that your core remains locked in thus allowing for a smooth and seamless transition from the down position to the up position.

5- Spread your fingers: Many people complain of wrist pain while they do push-ups. This usually stems from a combination of a lack of mobility at the wrist joint and a lack of flexibility of the forearm flexors and extensors. Plus, many people simply have weak wrists from a lack of weight-bearing exercises in their daily routine. Think about it- we do not do as much as we used to do with our hands and are rarely in a position where our wrists our supporting our entire body weight (besides when doing push-ups). One way to take pressure off of your wrists is to focus on spreading your fingers as far apart as possible. This expands the surface area and thus dissipates some of the excess strain on the wrists. Furthermore, doing fist push-ups or push-ups with your hands on a dumbbell tends to significantly alleviate if not eliminate any unwanted wrist issues. This neutral grip allows you get all of the benefits of push-ups so that your wrists do not continue to be the biggest limiting factor for your push-up goals. In addition, the neutral grip also makes it easier to keep your elbows tucked to your sides and shoulders down and back for optimal shoulder safety.

6- Be flat as a diving board: Throughout the entire movement, the key is to maintain a straight line from the heels through the shoulders. You must not let your hips sag, as this will put undue strain on your lower back in the form of hyperextension. Furthermore, you must avoid raising or "piking" your hips because this not only takes away much needed core work, but also results in a rounding of the upper back that potentially results in unwanted shoulder issues (impingement, rotator cuff strains, etc.).

Well, you now know everything you need to know to safely and effectively perform more push-ups than 99+% of the world. Remember, the leaner you are the better you will be at push-ups, and the more push-ups you can do the better you will look- time to master the push-up!

Have Faith & Take Action!

Justin Yule

Justin Yule, B.S., CPT is a local Chaska, MN and Online fitness boot camp instructor and personal trainer. He is also the author of The Science of Getting Fit: 6 Proven Steps to Achieve Your Weight Loss & Fitness Goals. You can learn more at www.JustinYule.com. To book him to speak at your local club, business, or organization, please contact him by email at jyule2@gmail.com or by phone at 952-956-2016.

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