The push-up is a body weight exercise that can be performed anywhere. The exercise works the pectoral muscles of the chest and triceps in the arms. It is a versatile exercise that can be performed in a number of different ways. By adjusting the basic technique, you can vary the difficulty of the exercise and the muscles that the exercise focuses upon.
Basic Push-up
The American Council on Exercise state that the push-up is an intermediate exercise. This is the basic form, which works the chest and triceps. Put your palms flat on the floor with your hands shoulder-width apart. With your arms slightly bent and feet together, lift your torso off the floor. Exhale with the effort of extending your arms and push your torso away from the floor. Return to the starting position by bending your arms while you inhale.
Bent Knee Push-up
A variation suggested by the American Council on Exercise is the bent knee push-up. It rates this as a beginner's exercise, so if you are a novice you could do this instead of the basic push-up. Perform the exercise with your knees in contact with the floor instead of your toes. This variation also targets the deltoids.
Hand Placement Variations
According to former Navy SEAL Stew Smith at Military.com, you can change the focus of the exercise from the pectorals to the triceps by placing your hands closer together. The only difference in technique from the basic push-up is hand placement, but your arms will be performing more of the work to push your torso away from the floor. Placing your arms wider than shoulder width apart will focus the exercise more on the chest than the arms.
Jump Push-Up
The jump push-up is an advanced form of the push-up, which will develop explosive power in the chest muscles. The Fit Map advises that this exercise should only be attempted if you can complete at least 30 basic push-ups. Start in the position for a basic push-up. Instead of performing a normal repetition, you should extend your arms with enough explosive force to push your torso away from the floor and also lift your hands off the floor. While your hands are in the air, clap them together and return them to the floor, shoulder-width apart. Lower your body to the start position and repeat.
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