Support yourself facedown on the ground, with arms extended, hands shoulder-width (or more) apart, and feet touching or slightly apart:
- Inhale and bend the elbows to bring the rib cage close to the ground without arching the low back excessively.
- Push back up to complete arm extension.
- Exhale at the end of the movement.
This movement is excellent for the pectoralis major
and the triceps brachii.
Varying the tilt of the chest focuses the work on different parts of the pectorals:
• Feet higher isolates the the clavicular head of the pectoralis major.
• Chest higher isolates the inferior part of the pectoralis major.
Varying the width of the hands focuses the work on different parts of the pectorals:
• Hands wider isolates the lateral part of the pectoralis major.
• Hands closer together isolates the sternal head of the pectoralis major.
Variations:
- Standard Push-Up: This variation involves placing your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your feet together and your body in a straight line. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground, then push back up.
- Close-Grip Push-Up: This variation involves placing your hands close together, directly under your shoulders. This targets the triceps muscles more than the chest muscles.
- Wide-Grip Push-Up: This variation involves placing your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. This targets the chest muscles more than the triceps.
- Plyometric Push-Up: This variation involves exploding up off the ground at the top of the push-up, clapping your hands together in mid-air, and then landing back in the starting position. This is a great way to build explosive power in the chest and upper body.
- Incline Push-Up: This variation involves placing your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or step. This reduces the amount of weight on your upper body, making the exercise easier. It also targets the upper chest muscles more than the lower chest.
- Decline Push-Up: This variation involves placing your feet on an elevated surface, such as a bench or step, and your hands on the floor. This increases the amount of weight on your upper body, making the exercise more challenging. It also targets the lower chest muscles more than the upper chest.
- One-Arm Push-Up: This variation involves performing the push-up with one arm. It is a very challenging exercise that requires a lot of upper body strength and stability.
