You don't need to belong to an expensive gym or have a lot of weights around your home if you want to get stronger. Traditional exercises like the pushup can help you increase your explosive power and overall body strength. Pushup variations like wide pushups can help you increase the intensity and workout level of your exercise. Pushups help increase the size and strength of a variety of muscle groups.
Pectoral Muscles
Wide pushups will build strength in your pectoral muscles — also known as the pecs. These are the muscles in your upper chest. Wide pushups must be done with your wrists facing forward. Extend your arms fully and keep your body parallel to the floor. Bring your chest down toward the floor, stopping about two inches before it makes contact. Keep your back flat and extend your arms until your body is back in its original position. Do this 25 times, take a one-minute break, then repeat the set.
Shoulders
The shoulders hold the body weight up at the start of the pushup and as you lower your chest toward the ground, the shoulder muscles are engaged. They remain engaged as the movement continues and the upper body is pushed up to the starting position. The shoulders hold the body weight and are exercised constantly throughout the pushup exercise.
Abdominal Muscles
Abdominal muscles and core muscles get worked in any pushup. However, with the arms in a wide-set position, there is more tension in the upper body and midsection, and the contraction is more forceful. Military trainer and author Stew Smith advocates the wide-set pushup and other pushup variations to build strength in the abs.
Back and Neck Muscles
Wide-set pushups also work the back and neck muscles. While you are lowering your body, your back and neck are tensed and tight. This exercise helps build greater strength and conditioning for these areas, and will help you avoid muscle pulls and other back and neck injuries in the course of sports competition and other physical activities.
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