Pushups are a muscle-building exercise that works the major muscles in the arms, chest and shoulders. Unlike weight exercises that use only one or two muscles, pushups use your entire upper body, from your core to your chest. The more often you do pushups, the better you will get and the more you'll notice your muscle density increase.
Identification
There are two ways to do pushups, sometimes called "military" and "modified." Military pushups require you to start in a plank position, with your toes tucked behind you and your hands on the floor beneath your shoulders. Modified pushups are for beginners or people with less strength in their upper bodies. Rather than starting in a plank position on your toes, rest your weight on your knees and push from your knees upward, rather than your toes upward.
Types
Regular pushups work the entire upper body, but can become tedious after a while. Military.com recommends adding in two other types of pushups to break up the monotony: wide pushups and triceps pushups. To do a wide pushup, start in the regular pushup position and spread your arms as wide as you can before bringing your chest down to the floor. This works the pectoral muscles and the chest. To do a triceps pushup, bring your hands closer together until they are underneath your chest rather than your shoulders. This puts more pressure on your triceps to lift your body weight.
Considerations
Pushups have a reputation as being a difficult exercise that only bodybuilders can perform. The truth is that pushups, like any other exercise, require practice. If you can only do one or two pushups, start with that and gradually build up the amount of repetitions each time in order to increase muscle density. You'll notice your upper body getting stronger if you keep at it consistently. Once you can complete a full set of pushups with your whole body weight, consider wearing a backpack and gradually increasing its weight over time to increase your muscle density.
Benefits
One of the main benefits of pushups, besides increasing muscle density, is that you can do them anywhere, at any time. You can do pushups without gym equipment or dumbbells, and pushups are just as, if not more, effective than traditional weight-training exercises, according to MayoClinic.com. Pushups use your body weight, so you cannot lower the weight to make the exercise easier like you could on a machine.
Warnings
As with any exercise, pushups are dangerous if done incorrectly and can lead to injuries. Guides on websites such as the American Council on Exercise show you the correct way to do pushups using step-by-step instructions and pictures. If in doubt, ask a staff member at your gym to demonstrate the correct way of doing military or modified pushups. Stop exercising if you feel sharp pain, and do not exceed your known capabilities.
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