A push-pull workout program encourages muscle growth and prevents over-training by grouping the muscles you train each day into categories based on their primary function. Pushing muscles are the muscles used in pushing motions such as chest, triceps and front shoulders. The pulling muscles are the muscles used in pulling motions such as your back, rear shoulders, trapezius and biceps. In a push-pull three-day training split, legs and abs are often added as the third day, separate from the push-pull upper body training days. Plan your...
When you do not have access to these devices, however, calisthenic exercises are effective options. Given the right exercises, you can make adequate progress and target all of your major muscle groups through calisthenics -- wh...
Push-ups use your body weight as resistance to strengthen the muscles in your arms, abdomen, chest and shoulders. Strength training workouts such as push-ups should be performed two or more days a week as part of a healthful li...
Unlike isolation exercises, compound exercises work more than one muscle and involve more than one joint. This makes them beneficial for building muscle quickly. The goal with a pushup workout is to target your chest from vario...
Prison's restrictions limit every facet of life, but many prisoners find ways to work out with minimal resources and space. Push-ups are a favorite among prisoners, as they offer an effective upper body strengthening exercise t...
When you perform push-ups, you have two things going for you. First, no fancy equipment, which makes push-ups convenient. Second, push-ups are compound exercises, causing you to work more than one muscle at a time. Even with th...
The word "pecs" is shorthand for pectorals --- the major muscles in your chest. Although they form one muscle group, the pectorals respond best when you target them from multiple angles. To fully maximize your muscle recruitmen...
Your pectoral, deltoids and triceps muscles are highly engaged while your core and lower body muscles are activated to maintain a straight line throughout your body. Push-ups may be conveniently done on the floor, using a couch...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Classic calisthenic and toning moves, like sit-ups, push-ups and crunches can meet this requirement without expensive equipment or a trip to the gym. These exercises won't make your s...
Underneath these glands and the tissue, the pectoral muscles work to keep your breasts well-supported. Age, child-bearing and breast-feeding can take their toll as well. Make your breasts perk up with targeted workouts.
For many people, push ups elicit unpleasant memories of high school gym class. However, these basic exercises require no equipment and strengthen several key muscle groups. Push up workouts build upper body strength and sculpt ...
Adding push-ups to your workout is an option if you are looking for a total body exercise that targets your chest, shoulders and arms. Many commercial workout routines and books incorporate push-ups. An article in "The "New Yor...
Push-ups are a basic exercise that works your chest, arms and core. You can modify push-ups to target a variety of muscles in the upper body. Performing advanced push-up workouts can kick up the intensity of your exercise regim...
Core exercises train the muscles around your pelvis and trunk, tone your abs and improve balance and stability, according to Mayo Clinic. Push-ups are core exercises that can be tweaked to target certain body parts, and they ca...
Eric Lazerow, a veteran with 11 years' military service and one deployment to Afghanistan. "It consists of running, stretching, calisthenics or circuit training and lasts approximately 1.5 hours." Known as PT, these daily worko...
But if you are trying to strengthen your shoulders, push-ups should only be one part of your workout. The shoulders consist of several different muscles, each of which should be targeted by different exercises. Push-ups are not...
A squat is a good example. The glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, abs and calves all get worked simultaneously. Push-ups qualify as compound exercises because they work the pectorals, triceps and deltoids all at the same time. A g...
A significant amount of strength and explosive power can be achieved by doing simple body weight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups and dips. In his book, "The Essence of Body Weight Training," Juan Carlos Santana describes h...
Bodyweight exercises rely on leverage rather than weight to increase the resistance of a motion. Instead of adding a heavier weight, push-ups require you to move to a more advanced body position. The most difficult form of push...
This advance exercise will burn more calories and develop upper-body power and coordination. You can combine this workout with other exercises, such as pulling, squatting and rotation, to train different movement patterns.
A power push-up is a plyometric exercise that increases how fast you move repetitively while maintaining posture. According to Gray Cook, founder of Functional Movement Systems, it is one basic plyometric exercise that builds s...
Push-ups are an ideal chest and arm workout for beginners because you don't need any special equipment. You can do push-ups just as easily at home as in the gym, and a number of modifications can adapt the exercise's intensity ...
Finding time to exercise with one kid is a challenge, but trying to find time for a regular workout with two kids ought to be considered an Olympic event in itself. Double jogging strollers make it easy to strap in two children...
This makes them the ideal chest exercise do do at home, at work or even outside, when no other equipment may be available. Start doing push-ups twice a week, giving your chest muscles a chance to rest and recover from any soren...
If you regularly find yourself not wanting or not able to hit the gym--but you still want to get in a good workout--try a variety of push-up workout methods. The IDEA fitness journal says push-ups build both muscular strength a...
