Push ups are an effective exercise for training, muscle development or rehabilitation from a wide range of injuries. Push ups require no equipment and can be performed in a variety of ways to suit your fitness level. The best kind of push up works your core muscles and builds strength in your hips, chest, arms and shoulders.
Basics
You should aim to keep your body aligned to get the most out of your push-up routines. Ideally, you want to lie on the floor on your stomach and place your hands face down just outside your shoulders. Roll your toes inward and tighten your abdominal muscles to maintain your alignment. Push up your entire body so that you are resting on your hands and your toes. Lower your body so that your chest touches the floor and repeat. Breathe in as you rise and breathe out through the decent.
Intensity
While the best push up keeps your body in a straight line, more intense push ups can challenge your muscles more effectively so that you get more out of the exercise. Rest your feet on a raised surface, such as a chair or bench and raise and lower your upper body with your hands on the floor. Lie across a stability ball and roll yourself out so that your lower legs are resting on the ball and you're supporting your upper body with your hands. Perform the push ups while remaining on the ball. In addition to the core and muscle benefits, you'll engage even more muscles as you strive to maintain your balance.
Integration
To get the most out of your workouts, you should integrate push ups into a complement of exercises to reach peak physical fitness. Bootcamp-style workouts that incorporate push ups are used by the armed services for training because they offer exercisers a way to constantly improve. Circuit training with push ups done using proper techniques can build endurance and strength. Start with 10 push ups and quickly move to 10 sit-ups. Follow with squats and lunges. Continue the cycle 10 times. You will have done 100 of each exercise and worked every muscle in your body.
Variations
The best kind of push up, like any other exercise, is one that you will stick with and do several times a week. If you cannot raise your entire body weight at first, you should build up strength gradually and start with modified push ups. You will build upper body strength and in time, will be able to perform a full-body push up. To do a modified push up, you kneel on the ground and place your hands flat on the floor a little more than shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and raise your feet. Lower your upper body to the floor and back up again. Continue with 10 reps at first and build reps into your routine as you gain strength.
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