The push-up is a common exercise that is used by military and those interested in general fitness alike. It is used to develop muscle and strength in the upper body. While your hands remain stationary during a regular push-up, the Perfect Pushup unit causes your hands to rotate as you make your way throughout the movement. There are benefits and items to be concerned about when doing push-ups with the Perfect Pushup.
Muscles
While your core must contract to keep your torso in a straight line, the primary muscle groups developed in the push-up exercise include the chest, or pectoralis major and minor, the shoulders, or deltoid, and the triceps.
Perfect Pushup
The Perfect Pushup claims to maximize the push-up movement. It features two handles that rotate as you lower down and rise back up through the movement. The units were created by a former Navy Seal. The makers of the units claim that the rotating handles maximize muscle strength and also reduce shoulder joint strain.
Cost and Ease of Use
The regular push-up can be completed without any financial costs, while the Perfect Pushup costs $39.95. Both can be completed in nearly any location. The Perfect Pushups are not heavy, so they can be transported easily if needed.
Muscle Activation
The American Council on Exercise sponsored a 2009 study comparing the effectiveness of the Perfect Pushup to the regular push-up. The researchers at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse found that there was no difference in muscle activation when push-ups were completed with a narrow hand position, but the Perfect Pushup did elicit more activity in the chest, shoulders and triceps when push-ups were completed with wide and regular hand placement. The researchers claimed they believed the increase in muscle activation was due to a greater range of motion when using the Perfect Pushup units.
Joint Strain
The American Council on Exercise had their own physiologists research the safety differences between the Perfect Pushup and regular push-ups. ACE exercise physiologist Todd Galati concluded that the Perfect Pushup would likely be safe for those who have healthy shoulder stabilization, but may cause irritation or injury in those who have had previous shoulder issues or lack adequate shoulder stabilization.
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