Pushups are one of a few exercises that nearly everyone has been asked to complete at some time in their lives. Pushups are often used in situations where equipment is not available because the only thing needed to complete most variations of the exercise is you.
Standard
These are the pushups that most people are familiar with. Begin in a prone position on the floor with your hands placed just beside your shoulders and palms flat against the floor. You lower body is anchored to the floor by your toes. Begin the motion by pressing your hands against the floor and extending your arms, pushing your body away from the floor. Once your arms are fully extended, slowly lower your body back down towards the floor. Once your chest is approximately the distance of one closed fist from the floor, press back up to continue the next repetition.
Modified
Modified pushups are used to decrease the level of difficulty of the exercise to allow those with less strength to perform the exercise. Modified pushups are performed in the same manner as standard pushups with one difference. The knees are bent and the lower body is anchored to the floor at the knees. It is important to keep the hips in and back flat when performing modified pushups.
Diamond
Diamond pushups are used to increase the amount of work being done by the triceps muscles. When performing diamond pushups the hands should be placed under the chest with the index fingers and thumbs touching each other to create a diamond shape.
Knuckles
Knuckles pushups can be helpful to those with less flexible wrists as the wrist is in a neutral position during this variation. The hands are placed on the ground in a closed fist with the knuckles facing down.
Feet Elevated
Pushups with the feet elevated are more difficult to perform than standard pushups. The feet can be elevated by placing them on any number of different implements or surfaces such as a bench, a chair, a box, or even in a partners hands.
Upper Body Elevated
Pushups with the upper body elevated are easier to perform than standard pushups and are a great way to teach the exercises. The upper body can be elevated only slightly, such as on a step, to decrease the level of difficulty minimally or the upper body can be elevated a great deal, such as leaning against a wall or fence, to decrease the difficulty by a lot.
One Arm
One arm pushups are one of the most difficult types of pushups. This is due to the fact that one arm must now produce the same amount of force that is performed by both hands in a standard pushup. In addition, the body must compensate for the shift in balance and stability that occurs.
One Leg
One leg pushups are performed in the same manner as standard pushups with the difference being that you must hold one leg off of the floor. One leg pushups increase the level of difficulty by requiring the body to compensate for the alteration in balance and stability as well as the use of the muscles of the hip and upper leg to support the limb.
Unstable Surfaces
Unstable surfaces can be used to complicate the standard pushup exercise. A stability ball, medicine ball, balance disc or cushion can be used to create an unstable surface. The unstable surface can be placed between the floor and hands or between the floor and the feet.
Clapping
Clapping pushups introduce a plyometric element to the exercise. Clapping pushups are performed by explosively pushing the body off of the floor high enough that you are able to bring your hands together and clap before descending back down to the start position.
References
- American Council on Exercise: Push-up
- "The Ultimate Guide to Pushups;" David Nordmark and Jamie Reynolds; 2010
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