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The Perfect Guide to Incorporating Pushups into Your Workout Routine

Workout Routine

By MayaPublished about a year ago 5 min read
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Here are some specific benefits of push-ups

1. Strengthens the muscles of the upper body: Push-ups especially work on connecting the muscles of the chest, shoulders, arms and upper back, thereby strengthening them.

2. Improve core strength: Doing push-ups engages the core muscles as well as the abs, obliques and lower back. Due to which core strength improves.

3. Improves Posture: Pushups help to strengthen the muscles of the upper back, which improves posture. Due to this, the bent shoulders and hump-like spine also remain straight.

4. Increased muscular endurance: Regular push-ups increase muscular endurance, which leads to less fatigue.

5. Improves Heart Health: Pushups are one such bodyweight exercise that works to increase the heart rate and improve heart health.

6. Can be done anywhere, anytime: You do not need any gym or any equipment for pushups. You can do it very comfortably by including it in your workout routine at home.

What is the correct way to do pushups? (What's a proper push-up form?)

Body alignment

Correct body alignment is very important for effective push-ups. Here's how the body alignment should be while doing pushups:

• Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your fingers pointing forward or slightly outward.

• Your wrists should be in a straight line with your shoulders and your palms should be flat on the floor.

• Your feet should be together and your weight should be on the balls of your feet.

• Body should be in straight and slant line from head to heel.

• The core muscles should be engaged so that the hips remain stable so that the lower back is not stressed.

• The shoulders should be down and slightly away from the ears.

• When you lower your body, at that time the elbow should be close in such a way that it should make an angle of 45 degrees.

Breathing technique

Breathing is an essential process while doing pushups. Here are some specific tips on breathing technique while doing pushups:

• Breathe in when you lower your body towards the ground and exhale while doing it upwards. This will give you more energy.

• Focus on deep breathing throughout the exercise. This means breathing from the belly and not the chest to engage the core muscles and maintain proper body alignment.

• Never try to hold your breath while doing the movement. Doing so will increase anxiety and impair performance.

Common mistakes to avoid while doing push-ups

• Lower back strain: This is the most common mistake that can put unnecessary pressure on your lower back. To avoid this, engage your core muscles and maintain your hips level throughout the movement.

• Elbows Out: When the elbows start out, there is excessive pressure on the shoulders. There is a possibility of injury due to this. To avoid this, keep your elbow beside the body by making an angle of 45 degrees.

• Dropping the head: Dropping the head puts pressure on the neck so keep your head in a straight line with the spine.

Shrugging the shoulders excessively: Shrugging the shoulders by bringing them towards the ears also causes pressure, so keep the shoulders down and away from the ears.

• Failure to engage the core: Keeping the core engaged is most important in this exercise as it helps in maintaining body alignment.

How many types of pushups are there? (Different types of push-ups)

1. Standard Pushups: This is the most common pushups in which it is started from the plank position by spreading the hands and shoulders until the chest touches the floor.

2. Wide Pushups: Wide pushups engage the chest and shoulders, with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart.

3. Close Pushups: Keeping the hands close to the chest, a close grip pushup works the triceps and internal chest muscles.

4. Diamond Pushups: In this variation, keeping the hands close together, the index finger and thumb form a diamond shape on the ground. It is best for triceps and chest muscles.

5. Incline Pushups: Incline pushups involve placing the hands on an elevated surface such as a bench to make the exercise easier. It targets your upper chest.

6. Decline Pushups: This variation, which requires you to place your feet on an elevated surface, engages the muscles of the shoulders and upper chest.

7. Polymetric Pushups: This variation involves pushing your body off the ground and clapping your hands together.

How to include pushups in workout routine? (Incorporating push-ups into your workout routine)

• Beginners: If you are new to this or have never done pushups then do it with 1-2 sets of 5-10 pushups 2-3 times a week.

• Intermediate: People in the intermediate category should do 10-20 pushups 2-3 times a week with 3-4 sets. Along with this, you can also change the type of your pushups.

• Beginners: If you are new to this or have never done pushups then do it with 1-2 sets of 5-10 pushups 2-3 times a week.

• Intermediate: People in the intermediate category should do 10-20 pushups 2-3 times a week with 3-4 sets. Along with this, you can also change the type of your pushups.

wellnessself carefitnessdietbodyadvice
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About the Creator

Maya

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