How To Do Push Ups Against A Wall

Push-ups are body resistance exercises that you can perform anywhere you go, any time of the day. The main muscles that get worked with push-ups are the pectorals, triceps and anterior deltoids. The pecs are the chest muscles, the triceps are on the back of the upper arms and the anterior delts are on the front of the shoulders. If you have never done a conventional push-up on the floor, it is good to start off with wall push-ups. This less intense variation requires less of your body's weight to be performed.

Step 1

Loosen up your muscles with a few dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretching gets your joints and connective tissue warmed up and ready for the movement that is about to take place with exercise. Perform stretches like arm crosses, large arm circles, shoulder rotations, alternating toe touches, side bends and spinal rotations.

Step 2

Assume the starting position. Stand with your chest and stomach facing the wall and feet approximately an arm's reach away. Make sure your body is perfectly perpendicular to the wall as well and place your feet together.

Step 3

Execute the push-ups. Place your hands flat on the wall at shoulder height with your fingers facing up and your palms shoulder-width apart. Tighten your core and form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Lower your chest toward the wall by bending your elbows and stop when your nose is an inch away. Push yourself away from the wall until your arms are just short of locking out and repeat. Do 12 to 15 repetitions.

Step 4

Increase the challenge. Move your feet farther away from the wall to progress yourself with the wall push-up. Once you are able to do 12 to 15 reps easily with your feet more than three feet from the wall, lift one leg and hold it out at your side or behind your body as you do push-ups. This will cause you to recruit more ab muscles.

Tips and Warnings

After mastering the wall push-up, progress by doing push-ups with your hands on a table. Then move to a set of chairs and keep working your way to lower objects until you are able to do them on the floor.