Pushups work your chest, shoulders, arms and core, and you can do them anywhere -- no extra equipment necessary. However, improper pushup technique can hurt you; common problems include lower-back discomfort from poor posture, or shoulder injuries from incorrect tempo or range of motion. Taking the time to review proper pushup technique can reduce your risk of injury and improve your gains from this compound movement.
Position
Proper pushup position means balancing facedown on the floor, weight supported on your palms and the balls of your feet. Your hands should be directly beneath and slightly wider than your shoulders, and your body should be straight from head to heels. If you can't hold this position on the floor, elevate your hands on a bench or even the wall. You can also rest your knees on the floor, although your body should still remain straight throughout the pushup motion.
Timing and Motion
You get better at what you practice, so if you're training for a military physical fitness test or other event that dictates following a specific cadence for pushups, you should practice that cadence. For general strength training, a cadence of two to four seconds as you lower your chest toward the floor, then at least two seconds as you push back up to the starting position, is appropriate.
Range of Motion
The standard, conservative range of motion for performing pushups dictates stopping when your shoulders are level with your elbows. Lowering your chest further than this point forces your shoulders into a relatively weak, externally-rotated position where they are more vulnerable to injury. However, if you participate in sports or other activities that require you to move through a more extended range of motion, you should work up to duplicating that range of motion in your training. This prepares your body to perform the sport-specific range of motion, reducing your risk of injury in the end.
Sets and Repetitions
A single set of 12 repetitions is enough for building general strength and endurance with pushups. Once you can consistently complete a full set of pushups with good form, you're ready to move on to the next-harder variation in your progression toward full pushups. If you're already doing full pushups, you can add extra difficulty by wearing a weight vest, having a friend hold a weight plate in position on your back, elevating one leg slightly as you do pushups, or resting one or both hands, or your feet, on an unstable surface such as a medicine ball, stability ball or wobble board.
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