Push Ups Exercise: Health Benefits, Variations, How to perform?

What is a Push-up Exercise?

Push-ups are a classic exercise that is performed in a prone position by elevating and lowering the body with the straightening and bending of the arms while keeping the torso straight and supporting your body on the hands and toes.

• Push-ups are a basic exercise for upper body strength and chest.
• This exercise will improve your health by making your muscles stronger, helping to improve your metabolic rate to burn fat, and providing cardiovascular support.
• This is a common calisthenics exercise that starts with a prone position, by elevating and lowering the body by singing hands, this exercise mainly focuses on your pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, with many benefits to the rest of the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis.
• This exercise is a very fast and effective exercise for building muscle strength.
• When you correctly do this exercise then this exercise helps to strengthen the lower back and abdomen.
• You also do this exercise as a part of your body weight exercise session and a circuit training workout.
• This exercise does not need any type of equipment.

Which muscle is used in push-up exercises?

• Primary muscles:

Triceps and biceps, Pectoral (chest) muscles, Shoulders muscles, Latissimus dorsi muscles

• Secondary muscles:

Stomach muscles (abdominals), Hips muscles, Leg muscles

There are a lot of benefits to doing this exercise:

• Helps to Improve Upper-Body Strength.
• Helps to improve your cardiovascular endurance.
• Helps to Burn your calories.
• Helps to protect your shoulders and lower back from injuries.
• Helps to Improve your balance.
• Helps to Improve your balance posture.
• Helps to Improve your flexibility.
• Helps to improve your performance in sports and athletic activities.
• This exercise works out Multiple Groups at Once.
• This exercise will be Easily Modifiable.
• This exercise No need any Equipment.
• This is also Beneficial for Your Core muscles.
• Push up is a Functional Exercise.
• Help to Strengthen Your Bones.
• Help to improve your cardiovascular health.
• Helps to Increase Testosterone and decrease Osteoporosis Development.
• This exercise helps you sleep better.

How to Do a Push-Up exercise?

Basic push up

How to do?

• For this exercise, you have to get on the ground on all four limbs and put your hands wider than your shoulder.
• Do not lock your elbows. keep them slightly bending position.
• Straighten your legs backside so you are balanced on your hands and toes, your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your abs and tighten your core muscles by pulling your tummy toward the spine.
• Breathe in as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself to the ground, until your elbows are bent to a ninety-degree angle.
• Breathe out by contracting your chest muscles, pushing back up through your hands, and returning to the initial position.
• Keep tightening your core muscles throughout the movement, also keep your body straight.
• There are no limits to doing push-ups you can do with your comfort. you also do 200 push-ups in a day.
• The average person does 50 to 100 push-ups in a day with 25 repetitions of 3 sets.

There are eight Variations of a Push-Up exercise, which you can do at home:

If you are a beginner and you need to make this exercise easier, or more advanced and want more of a challenge—or want to better target a most specific muscle—then there is a push-up variation for you.

Bent-Knee Push-Up

How to do?

• This is a modified variation of the basic push-up performed on the knees rather than on the toes. keep sure that the knees, hips, and shoulders are all in the same line. Do not allow yourself to bend from the hips.
• For this exercise, you have to start with a quadruped position you have to come on four limbs, then extend the arms put your shoulder and hands width apart on the ground in front of you.
• Tighten your abdominals when you bend your arms, lowering your trunk until your eyes are completely seen on the ground.
• Push the trunk back up by straightening your arms.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Incline push-ups

How to do?

• If you want to make this exercise easier then go for this variation, for this exercise you need one bench, you have to stand several feet away from the bench.
• Rest your hands on a table then use the same basic push-ups technique to complete this variation.
• lower down your body by bending elbow 90 degrees then raise back up to the initial position.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Stability-Ball Push-Up

How to do?

• Before starting this exercise you have to do 20 basic push-ups.
• For this exercise you have to take a kneeling position in front of the ball, keeping your trunk and hips in a straight line while doing the exercise.
• How Push your body upward side until your both arms are almost straight (do not lock your elbows).
• Hold this position and balance in this for two to three seconds.
• Then slowly return to the starting position and repeat this movement again.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Decline push-ups

How to do?

• This exercise is more difficult than a basic push-up, for this variation you need one bench or box.
• Do push-ups with feet raised on a box or bench.
• You can adjust the bench height to increase or decrease the resistance using just your body weight.
• Take Kneel with your back to the bench. Place your hands on the ground, shoulders over your wrists, and elbows at forty-five degrees.
• Put your feet on top of the bench.
• Use your core, glutes, and quadriceps muscles. then Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the ground keeping your back and neck straight.
• Push into the ground to return to the initial position, by extending your elbows.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Clapping push-ups

How to do?

• For this exercise, you have to take a position of standard push-ups, get into an arm support position with your hand’s position beneath your shoulder and fingers.
• Then lower yourself until your chest is just above the ground.
• Flex elbows to start the first part of the push-ups. your elbow should be closed to the body.
• Start in a standard push-up position.
• Get into an arm-supported position with your hands positioned beneath your shoulders and fingers spread slightly.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Diamond push-ups

How to do?

• This variation of push-ups targets the triceps muscle.
• This is done with your hands close together and the index fingers and thumbs of one hand touching another hand, making a diamond shape on the ground.
• Then you will do push-ups with your hands touching the center of your chest and elbows close to your sides during every repetition.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Push-Up With Lat Row

How to do?

• For this variation, you need a pair of dumbbells. this variation increases the intensity of the push-ups, by activating core muscle and engaging the latissimus dorsi.
• To do this exercise you need to perform basic push-ups with free hands, then by holding dumbbells by pushing the ground with one hand, at the top of the movement pull the weight towards your chest by bending one elbow and holding a dumbbell.
• Do this movement on the other hand.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Medicine Ball Push-Up

How to do?

• For this variation, you have to take a medicine ball. you have to first take a basic push-up position with your left hand over the medicine ball and right hand over the floor.
• Lower down your chest towards the floor, and then press upside, if you want more advanced in this you can also do it with rolling medicine balls, in a different range of motion which improves stability of the shoulder and balance.
• Do 4 to 5 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Superman Push-up.

How to do?

• This is a more advanced and difficult variation of push-ups.
• For beginners we advise you first to take your hand off the floor when doing push-ups, then only you have to raise your leg and come into the push-ups position.
• Then both hands and legs off the floor and come into a push-up position and again hands and legs off the floor.
• Do 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Staggered Push-up

How to do?

• There has another different kind of pushup you can add to your workout training is the staggered pushup.
• This variation includes positioning yourself into the basic pushup position. In this variation, you have to change your hand position.
• The left hand should be situated higher than the right hand, which should still remain in the same line as the shoulder.
• While performing push-ups you have to take your above and then into the basic push-ups position then another hand at a higher level do push-ups.
• This variation improves individual side strength.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Wide Arm Push-up

How to do?

• For this exercise, you have to start in a plank position with your hands out wider than your shoulder joint.
• Start with lowering your body by bending your elbows, keep your core muscle tightened and your back should be straight until your chest grazes the ground.
• Elbows will flare more than in a basic pushup.
• Immediately straighten your elbows and push your body back up.
• If you want to engage your chest and front shoulders more, then try the wide grip.
• It is the same as a basic pushup but your hands’ position is further apart.
• This means that your elbows will bend slightly more when you are lowering yourself to the ground.
• When it comes to pushup variations, the wider apart your hands are, the more you will work for your chest.
• This variation is more targeted at pectoral muscles than basic push-ups.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Wall push-ups

Basic wall push-ups

How to do?

• You have to Stand near the wall at arm’s length from the wall with your feet hip-width apart.
• Put both hands on the wall at around shoulder-level height and shoulder-width apart, with your fingers pointed toward the ceiling.
• If you feel you are reaching too far, move your feet close to the wall.
• Now Slowly bend your elbows and begin to lean your body toward the wall until your nose almost touches it.
• Keep your trunk straight and elbows bending at around a 45-degree angle (instead of straight to the sides).
• Slowly push back to the initial position.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

If you want to add more challenges to your push-ups, go for the variations below. wall push-ups have many variations some are explained below you can try them.

1. Close hands wall pushup

How to do?

• In this variation, you have to place your hands wide apart.
• You have to move your palms toward the midline of the body.
• This will target your triceps and pectoral muscles and be more challenging than basic wall pushups.
• Take the position with your feet and legs together, standing about arm’s length from the wall with your arms straight out in front of your body.
• Your palms should be on the wall at about shoulder height, but this time, both hands touch each other, with your fingers pointing towards the ceilings.
• Now bend your elbows. your nose almost touches the wall. your back should be straight. then return to the initial position.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

2. One-arm wall pushup

How to do?

• When you mastered basic wall push-ups and complete multiple reps.
• Then you have to go for this one-arm pushup progression. It is a unilateral move, meaning it works one side of your body at a time.
• This variation helps even out strength imbalances, and it gives your core a good challenge.
• Take the position with your feet and legs together, standing about an arm’s length from the wall with your one arm straight out in front of your body.
• Your one palm should be on the wall at about shoulder height, but this time with your fingers pointing towards the ceilings.
• Now bend your elbows. your nose almost touches the wall. your back should be straight. then return to the initial position.
• Repeat on another side.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

3. One-leg wall pushup

How to do?

• Take the position with your feet and legs together, standing about arm’s length from the wall with your arms straight out in front of your body.
• Your palms should be on the wall at about shoulder height, but this time, with your fingers pointing towards the ceilings.
• Move your foot closer to the wall, raise one leg off the floor behind you, now bend your elbows about 45 degrees.
• Your nose almost touches the wall. your back should be straight. then return to the initial position.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

4. Feet on the wall pushup

How to do?

• This is a more advanced variation, which requires strength and balance.
• For this exercise, you have to take a plank position on the floor with your feet touching the wall.
• Walk on your foot up towards the wall until you reach a comfortable height.
• This can be parallel to the ground or above your body height level.
• This is your initial position. now bend your elbows about 45 degrees.
• Your nose almost touches the ground. your back should be straight.
• Then return to the initial position.
• Complete 3 to 4 sets of 18 to 20 repetitions.

Push Ups Exercise Video

Common Mistakes occur while performing push-ups:

• Sagging in the Middle
• To prevent this you have to start with a plank When you master a plank then go for push-ups to maintain a body in straight alignment.
• Improper Neck Alignment
• Your neck should be in a neutral position throughout the movement, the head in a straight line with the trunk, eyes towards the floor, and the top of your head pointed away from your foot. when you point your chin up or down your head so much that you can see your foot, it means you are out of alignment.
• Locked Elbows
• Locking your elbows at the top of push-ups is a mistake you might make by feeling fatigued and you need a little rest. But this places too much stress on your joints and can cause strain or injury. Always keep a slight bend in the elbows. when you feel fatigued then you have to take a rest before doing the next set.
• Hands Too Far Forward
• When you place your hands far out than your shoulders you are placing more strain on your shoulders.
• Limited Range of Motion
• If you are only going down partially with most of your push-ups, you aren’t getting the full benefit. It is better to switch to an easier modification (such as knee or incline push-ups) that you can do with the full range of motion.

When you do not do push-ups?

• If you have a shoulder injury
• If you have a wrist injury
• If you have an elbow injury
• If you feel pain in a shoulder during exercise
• If you have already suffered from pain
• If your doctor advised you to take a rest

How to start doing push-ups every day?

Push-ups are the best exercise you can start at home in the early morning, This exercise is a classic exercise where you can strengthen your upper body. To start this exercise you can start with easy to perform a simple exercise with 5 repetitions only on the first day. 2nd day you can do 8 repetitions. 3rd and 4th days 10 repetitions. 5th day you can do 2 sets of 10 repetitions.

As you improve, you can gradually increase your repetitions and also do variations to add more stamina to your upper body. Do not perform too much exercise at the same time. you can do it 5 times a week and 1 day relax day and another 1 day you can perform gentle stretching exercises of your upper body. Exercise must be pain-free.

Author: Nitesh Patel - Physiotherapist

Physiotherapist in Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic Ahmedabad Bapunagar Amaraiwadi Vastral Mobile Physiotherapy Clinic Dr. Nitesh Patel ( Physiotherapist ) : Mo No : 09898607803