The arms contain two large muscle groups on the front and back of the humerus bone known as the biceps and triceps. The biceps are on the front and the triceps are on the back. Conventional exercises like curls, triceps extensions and chinups work these muscles with the aid of fitness equipment. Pushups require no fitness gear and they particularly target the triceps.
Strength
During a conventional pushup, the shoulders and elbows are both bending at the same time. The shoulder movement causes your upper arms to move inward which works the pectorals. As you straighten your arms, you are performing what is called elbow extension. This in turn causes you to work the triceps. When performed on a regular basis, pushups will increase the size and definition of your triceps. Aside from the aesthetic impact this will have, you will also improve your functional strength. This is evident any time you need to push against something, such as a car stuck in a ditch.
Muscular Endurance
Sports like football, baseball, basketball and volleyball require constant muscle contractions over the course of a game. Having the ability to perform this work over a long time frame is called muscular endurance. When you perform high reps with pushup workouts, you increase the muscular endurance in your arms. This is not only handy for sports, but it can also impact your daily life. If you are a carpenter, for example, greater muscular endurance in the arms will allow you to swing a hammer for longer periods of time without getting fatigued.
Variation
A conventional pushup works the triceps, but most of the work is dedicated to the chest. However, you can change this by making a small adjustment with your hand position. Instead of placing your hands shoulder-width apart, place them close together and form a diamond shape with your thumbs and fingers. As you lower yourself down, let your elbows move out to your sides.
Bone Strength
Any time you do a weight-training exercise, your muscles pull against your bones by way of tendons. This in turn strengthens your bones and improves your bone mineral density. During pushups, the humerus, radius and ulna all get strengthened. The radius is the long bone on the thumb side of the forearm and the ulna is the long bone on the inside of the forearm.
Effect of Added Resistance
Using the weight of your body is effective when doing pushups, but you can increase your efforts with the help of added resistance. Wearing a weighted vest, for example, makes your body heavier. This will increase the emphasis on your arms and cause you to bulk up quicker.
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