Push-ups are a popular type of body weight exercise. They are used in many sports-training protocols, and they are also a staple in the armed forces for fitness testing. The primary muscles involved with push-ups are the pectorals, which are the chest muscles. If you want to increase your push-ups, you need to build up your muscle endurance and incorporate some push-up variations into a workout.
Step 1
Perform regular push-ups. To do regular push-ups, lie on your stomach with your hands right under your shoulders and pointing forward. Push your body up in the air until your arms are straight. Lower yourself down until your chest is about the width of your fist off the ground. Perform three sets of 15 reps and take 30-second rest periods in between.
Step 2
Bring your palms closer together. Close-grip pushups still work your chest but they also put an emphasis on your triceps, which are equally important muscles. To do these, come into the same position that you did with regular push-ups. This time, bring your hands in together so your thumbs and index fingers form a triangle. Lower yourself down until your chest is right above your hands, then push yourself back up. Do three sets of 15 reps with 30-second rest periods.
Step 3
Widen your hands. Wide-grip push-ups are performed the same way as conventional pushups, except your hands should be about 6 inches wider than shoulder width. Do three sets of 15 reps with 30-second rest periods.
Step 4
Elevate your feet. Decline push-ups put more emphasis on your upper chest. Hitting your chest at different angles can help increase your strength, which will allow you to increase your push-ups. To do these, place your toes up on a chair or bench with your hands on the ground under your shoulders. Lift yourself up in the air and perform pushups. Do three sets of 15 reps and take 30-second rest periods.
Step 5
Add it up. Perform the above exercises in the order they appear three times a week on alternating days. Every time you work out, add one more rep to your total. Within six weeks, you will be doing over 30 reps per exercise.
Tips and Warnings
- If you cannot do 15 reps when you first begin, start out with 10 or 12 and work your way up.
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