Among body-weight exercises, pushups make good complements to pullups, which work the back side of the upper body. During a pushup, you mainly work the chest, shoulders and triceps. Because the exercise targets more than one muscle, the pushup is classified as a multi-joint, or compound, exercise. Including pushups in a workout plan can help you gain muscle effectively without having to rely on a gym-full of fitness equipment. Consult your doctor before beginning any new workout regimen.
Pre-Workout Warmup
During pushups, you activate numerous muscles and joints. Starting your workout without first warming up can lead to muscle pulls or other connective-tissue injuries. To avoid this, spend five minutes doing some form of light cardiovascular, then spend another five minutes doing dynamic stretches. The cardio will get blood flowing to your muscles and dynamic stretches will get your body acclimated to exercising motions. Unlike static stretches, dynamic stretches are performed with movement, the Brian Mac Sports Coach website explains. Include stretches like spinal rotations, side bends, arm crossovers, shoulder shrugs, alternating toe touches and arm circles.
Variations
A basic pushup is performed in a face-down position on the floor. This exercise mostly targets the middle part of the chest. To make a whole workout out of pushups, include variations with your body at different angles and hands in different positions. Include decline pushups with your feet on a bench, incline pushups with your hands on a bench, wide-grip pushups and close-grip pushups. Decline pushups place more emphasis on the upper chest, incline pushups place more emphasis on the lower chest, wide grip pushups place most of the emphasis on the chest instead of shoulders and triceps, and close grip pushups shift the emphasis to the triceps.
If you are working out at home and do not have access to a bench, use one or two sturdy chairs.
Form With Pushups
Doing your exercises with good form is crucial to an effective pushup workout. If you let your hips sag, for example, you will place too much stress on your lower back and will not get a maximal amount of muscle recruitment. To do a basic pushup properly, lie on your stomach, with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and feet together. Keeping your abs tight and back straight, push yourself off the floor until your arms are fully extended. Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels as you bend your elbows and lower your body. Once your chest is close to the floor, push yourself back up and repeat.
Sets and Reps
When doing your pushup workout, do four or five sets of each variation, with 10 to 15 repetitions per set; if you are new to exercise, you will most likely have to stick to the lower end of this rep range. Take at least one day off between workouts to allow your muscles time to recover.
Resistance Tips
As you get into better shape and can easily do 15 reps with good form, consider adding resistance to your body. The easiest way to do this is by wearing a weighted vest or backpack with weights inside.
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