The basic push-up is most often associated with military workouts: "drop and give me 20!" But the push-up isn't just for basic training. This upper body exercise works the chest, triceps, front shoulders, and the abdominal muscles, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Since no equipment is needed, you can do push-ups anywhere, making them a great addition to any routine.
Move Your Body as a Unit
Proper push-up form is vital to low back and joint health. Not moving your body as a unit will compromise your low back and reduce the effectiveness of the push-up. Your entire body should move as one. No body part should reach or leave the floor before any other body part. The hips most often break this rule. They start to sag a little, especially as you tire toward the end of a set. Watching from the side, as you push yourself up, the chest will start to rise, with the hips slowly following. If this starts to occur, you need to stop the set, as it can lead to back strain. Focus on moving the body as a unit. If you can't perform a push-up with good form, start on your knees, or at an incline with your hands on a raised surface. These are easier versions of the push-up that will help you build up your strength.
Pull in Your Belly Button
During a push-up, the abdominal muscles act as stabilizers. These are muscles that contract without movement during an exercise to maintain a specific posture. Your abs are hard at work holding your body in a push-up position, where you are a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. To keep your abs activated, pull your belly button up to your spine. Maintain this form throughout the movement. Especially if you are new to push-ups, this has to be a conscious action. Even in every day activities such as walking and sitting, many men and women allow their abs to over-relax and stretch out. Only with a conscious effort will you successfully activate your abdominal muscles throughout an entire set of push-ups.
Hand Position
Besides low back pain, another common complaint with push-ups is wrist pain. Having your hands flat on the floor and your wrists flexed puts a lot of pressure on the wrist joint. There are several ways of alleviating this pressure. Performing push-ups on your fists, turned with your palms facing one another, often helps since the wrists are not bent. You can also grab a couple hex dumbbells. Place the dumbbells on the floor where you are going to position your hands. Grab the handles of the dumbbells. Make sure the dumbbells are large enough that when you wrap your hand around the handle, your knuckles don't rub the floor. With your hands up on the dumbbells, keep your wrists straight, and you'll avoid joint pressure.
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