Used by professional athletes and the occasional exerciser, the pushup is an effective resistance move that can be performed almost anywhere. Pushups work many of the major upper-body muscles, including the pecs, arms, shoulders and back. Proper form is important to get the most out of a pushup. Focus on proper form and quality of the pushups, rather than the quantity. As strength builds, it becomes easy to maintain proper form and pump out a higher number of pushups.
Step 1
Get into the pushup position, with your toes on the ground and hands shoulder width apart, preferably directly below the shoulders. The entire body should be in a straight line, from the head to the toes. Put most of the pressure on the outsides of the hands, rather than the wrists, to reduce the risk of wrist strain.
Step 2
Lower your body until your chest is 2 to 3 inches away from the ground without touching it. Inhale slowly as you lower the body. Keep the neck, back and hips straight for the entire movement.
Step 3
Push your body back up to the starting position, exhaling slowly throughout the movement. Again, keep your entire body straight as you push up.
Step 4
Repeat the process as many times as possible. Keep a steady pace of two seconds on the downward movement and one second on the upward movement.
Tips and Warnings
- Adjust the width of the hands to change the focus of muscles used. The farther apart the hands are, the more you work the chest. Move the hands closer together to focus on the triceps. Prop the feet up on a chair for inverted pushups. These pushups increase the resistance, making the muscles work harder.
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