Pushups are a common calisthenic exercise that works out muscles throughout the entire body but primarily the chest, shoulders, triceps and abdominal muscles. It is best to perform at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise to burn fat before doing pushups to better reveal the muscles toned.
Muscles Worked
Pushups are ideal for toning the upper body. They place a large proportion of your body weight on your arms, particularly your triceps, so are most effective at helping to tone and strengthen these muscles. The abs, chest and back are crucial for stability and helping to drive yourself off of the floor and lower yourself back down. Pushups also benefit the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis muscles.
Basic Pushup
To begin, lie face down on the floor with your wrists placed approximately shoulder-width a part. Your wrists should be under your shoulders and your knees should be under your hips. Straighten your arms to lift your body up, keeping your spine aligned. Bend your elbows to bring yourself back to starting position. Repeat in sets of 20 or more. As you continue to do more pushups, the number of repetitions within each set should increase.
Planche Pushup
Planche pushups are among the most difficult forms, requiring an extraordinary amount of strength and balance. Planche pushups are performed by pushing up with only the hands without permitting the feet or legs to touch the floor. Planche pushups amplify the amount of work the abs, arms and back must do. It typically takes approximately six months of practice to perform proper planche pushups.
Other Variations
Pushups can be done with your knees resting on the floor, and though this offers less of a workout, it is often more comfortable because it reduces the level strain on the back. Doing pushups on uneven surfaces increases the amount of work your midsection must do to stay balanced and thus helps promote toned and defined abs.
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