Push-ups are a classic upper body exercise. Used by athletes to soldiers to school children, push-ups are one of the most commonly performed exercises. To perform a push-up, place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart or wider. Extend your legs behind you so that your weight is resting on your hands and toes. Your feet, knees, hips and shoulders should form a straight line. Without letting your hips sag and keeping your head in line, bend your arms and lower your chest to the floor. Extend your arms and push back up to the starting position. Push-ups use many of your muscles.
Muscles of the Shoulder
The majority of work done when you perform a push-up is done by the muscles around your shoulders. Your pectoralis major, or pecs, are your chest muscles and are responsible for pushing your arm forward at shoulder level in a movement called horizontal flexion. Your front deltoid or shoulder muscles assist your pecs in this movement. Push-ups are generally considered to be a chest and shoulder exercise, although other muscles are also involved.
Muscles of the Elbow
In addition for horizontal flexion of the shoulder, push-ups also require you to extend your elbows. The narrower your hand placement, the more emphasis is on elbow extension, whereas the wider your hand placement, the greater emphasis on shoulder flexion. The primary muscle responsible for elbow extension is your triceps brachii, which is located on the rear of your upper arm. Push-ups are an excellent exercise for toning this area of your arm.
Muscles of the Spine
To stop your spine from flexing, the muscles of your midsection create tension, although they should not actually move during the push-up. This static contraction is called an isometric contraction. Holding your spine rigid is the job of your rectus abdominus muscle, which runs from your pubis to the bottom of your sternum and lower ribs, and is often called your abs for short.
Muscles of the Hips
To prevent your hips from dropping when you perform push-ups, the muscles at the front of your pelvis and upper thighs generate tension, although they do not move. Your iliopsoas at the front of your hip and rectus femoris of your thigh work synergistically to hold your hip firmly in place.
Muscles of the Knee
When you perform push-ups on your toes, you must support your body weight by keeping not only your hips straight but also your knees. Keeping your knees extended is the job of your quadriceps muscles on the front of your thigh. Your quadriceps, or quads for short, is made up of four muscles: your rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius. If you perform push-ups on your knees, these muscles are not as involved.
References
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier: 2010
- "You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises for Men and Women"; Mark Lauren; 2010
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