The push-up has been a standard way to measure physical fitness for decades. Push-ups increase strength primarily in the deltoid, tricep and pectoral muscles, but also benefit abdominal, gluteal and other muscles in the torso. You can modify the standard form of a push-up for your arms in numerous ways to meet your fitness needs, whether you find a regular push-up to be too hard, too easy or appropriately challenging.
Maintain Best Form
The American Council on Exercise recommends the following form for a standard push-up. Kneel on the ground with your feet together behind you. Bend forward and place your hands flat on the mat, shoulder-width apart with your fingers pointing forward or slightly inward. Shift your weight forward so you lift your knees from the mat and bring your shoulders directly above your hands. Adjust your position if needed to extend your body in a straight line from head to toes, with toes pointing forward, and contract your abdominal, gluteal and quadriceps muscles. Lower yourself to the ground, elbows pointing outward and your body's alignment maintained, until your chest or chin touches the ground. Your elbows should point outwards as you lower yourself. Press upwards to return to your starting position, again maintaining a straight body alignment.
Start Easy If Needed
If you have difficulty performing even one standard push-up, instead of balancing your lower body on your toes, use your knees as your pivot point. Keep your body straight between your shoulders and your knees. Whether you do knee push-ups or standard push-ups, lower yourself until your chest or chin touches the ground, then return to the upward position. If knee push-ups are too difficult, try inclined knee push-ups, balancing your hands on a higher surface, such as a stair, chair or book, or standing push-ups, where you lean at a 45-degree angle against a countertop or other surface and push yourself up.
Use Alternative Arm Positions
When using your palms on the ground, focus your force as you lift yourself from the ground on the heel and outside surface of your palm. This is more efficient and more stable for your shoulders. If your wrists hurt, try gripping dumbbells you've set on the ground or balancing on the knuckles of your clenched fists. If your shoulders hurt, face your hands forward or slightly outward and keep your elbows tucked near your body. This shifts the muscular emphasis to your triceps rather than your chest muscles.
Add New Challenges
To add extra challenge to your push-ups, lift one leg off the ground during the entire motion, or use only one arm. Elevate your feet on a stair or other slightly higher surface, or put your hands on blocks and lower your body between them. Both of these methods increase your body angle at the lowest point and therefore the difficulty of the push-up. You can also use resistance bands, held under your hands and wrapped around your upper body, for more of a challenge during the upward phase.
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