Push-ups are a superb exercise for upper body conditioning. They even have the added benefit of strengthening the core muscles and the glutes and quads, depending on your execution. But there is a common down side to push-ups. Many people don't have proper push-up form and miss out on the maximum intended benefits of this exercise. Follow a few tips to do your push-ups properly and get the most out of them.
Step 1
Begin in a prone position on your stomach side. Stretch your arms out in front of you and place your hands just outside of your shoulders. There are other positions you can adapt for modifications, but for a perfect, textbook push-up, use this position. Your hands should be flat on the floor, with your fingers facing forward.
Step 2
Extend your legs and lock them. Your knees should not bend at any point during this exercise. Rest your toes evenly on the floor. Your feet can either be together or up to 1 foot apart. By holding them 1 foot apart, you'll further engage your core muscles, especially the obliques.
Step 3
Lock your hips into place by keeping your body in a straight line throughout the push-up. Resist the temptation to let the hips sag or dip toward the floor. Also, make sure your butt doesn't lift toward the ceiling. These are common mistakes people make, especially those with weak core muscles. Throughout the push-up, keep your hips aligned with your shoulders and feet.
Step 4
Elongate your neck and keep it straight. One of the most common mistakes is to allow the neck to dip or bounce. This puts pressure on the spine and keeps you from fully maximizing the chest, shoulder and arm muscles. You can either look straight out ahead of your body, or you can look down and out several feet in front of you. Whichever method you choose, be sure to hold your neck straight.
Step 5
Bend your elbows, inhale, and slowly lower your body to the ground. Go low, but don't allow your upper body to rest on the ground. Only your clothes should come into contact with the floor.
Step 6
Exhale as you push your body back up, returning to the beginning position again. Extend your arms as you push up, but don't lock them out. Keep a slight bend in the elbows. This keeps the primary muscles of the chest, arms and shoulders engaged.
As you lower and raise your body for each repetition, visualize your spine in a straight line and follow through with your execution. The only joints that should engage during push-ups are the elbows, never the hips or neck.
Tips and Warnings
- Be honest with yourself. If you're doing push-ups on your own, it may be easy to cheat. To make sure you're not letting your hips or neck fall out of alignment or locking your elbows, do your push-ups with mirrors to your front and/or side.
Things You'll Need
- Mirror
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