Push-ups are one exercise that can sculpt a well-defined chest, as well as give you stronger shoulders and arms. Executing the perfect push-up is challenging for the absolute beginner. The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, suggests modifications, props and other exercises that can make push-ups and other chest exercises a little easier.
Your Chest Muscles
When you exercise your chest, you're working two muscle: the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, says bodybuilder Matt Weik, a contributor to Bodybuilding.Com. Your pectoral major, the larger of the two muscles, lies on top of the rib cage; the pectoral minor lies just beneath. The function of your "pecs" permit shoulder movements, including flexion, rotation, extension, adduction and abduction. Push-ups strengthen and sculpt your pectoral muscles, but they also exercise the triceps of your arms, as well as your anterior and medial deltoids, or "delts." A hidden benefit of push-ups is that they also build abdominal, or core, strength.
The Perfect Push-up
The perfect push-up relies on good form, as described by ACE. Start by kneeling on the floor or an exercise mat. Position your hands flush against the mat in front of you at shoulder's width. Move your weight forward until your shoulders are above your hands and your body is fully extended. Tauten your abdominal muscles, as well as your thigh muscles -- your quadriceps and glutes. Keep your head aligned with the rest of your spine as you slowly lower your body toward the floor. Press away from the floor as you raise your body away from the floor until your arms are fully extended. As you perform push-ups, your weight should feel evenly distributed throughout your entire body, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
Troubleshooting
Common problems faced by those new to push-ups are the dreaded spinal sag/belly droop and "hip hike," which occurs when you lead with your hips on the upward motion. Push-ups require an inordinate amount of core strength, which is why it's essential to keep your abdominal muscles rigid during this exercise. Don't let your elbows splay outward except when you lower your body downward. According to former Navy SEAL Stew Smith, a contributing writer to Military.com, one of the more common problems people have when performing push-ups is positioning the hands too high or too far from the chest. If you can see your hands when you're at floor level, your hand positioning needs to be adjusted, Smith says.
Variations for Beginners
One way to build up toward the old school military push-up is to start with the bent-knee variation. This push-up is performed much like the conventional push-up; however, your knees and shins remain flush against the floor, with the tip of your toe flexed so your ankles face the ceiling. ACE suggests using small dumbbells to reduce the amount of stress you put on your wrists. Use the handle grip of the dumbbells to stabilize your weight, rather than placing your palms against the floor. Lower your chest or chin until it's level with the handle before pressing upward.
Other Tips
Push-ups require no equipment or props, making them a handy exercise to do at home. However, if you have access to a gym, making use of the weight machines and free weights can also build your pecs. Some of the exercises ACE suggests are the seated machine bench press, seated incline cable press, flat dumbbell presses and dumbbell presses performed on a decline. Make sure to work all of the muscle groups during your strength training routine; focusing on only the chest or another part of the body can wreak havoc with your posture, cautions ACE. If you're just starting an exercise program, start out slow, performing one set of eight to 12 repetitions at a time.
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