Push-ups – the ideal full-body workout
Push-ups train more than just the biceps and shoulders. The buttocks, chest muscles and back are also strengthened by this strength exercise. Due to this whole-body training feature, push-ups mean that you can do without a lot of fitness equipment.
In this article you will find all the important information about this classic of strength training.
What do push-ups do
Push-ups, also known as press-ups, are a popular bodyweight exercise that works several muscle groups in the upper body, core, and even the legs. The main muscles used in push-ups are:
- Chest muscles (pectorales): The chest muscles are the main muscles that work during push-ups. They are responsible for extending and stabilizing the arms during the movement.
- Triceps (triceps brachii): The triceps is the muscle on the back of the upper arm. It is responsible for extending the elbow joint, which is an essential part of the push-up movement.
- Shoulder muscles (deltoids): The anterior deltoid muscles, which form the front shoulder area, help stabilize and lift the arms during push-ups.
- Core muscles: Push-ups also work the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and lower back muscles. These muscles are important for stabilizing the body and maintaining a solid plank position during the exercise.
- Leg and hip muscles: Although they are not the main muscles used in push-ups, the leg and hip muscles are also involved in the exercise as they help keep the body stable and in a straight line.
Push-ups can improve the strength, endurance and stability of these muscles. They can also improve overall body function and posture. By adjusting hand and foot positions, you can place greater strain on different muscle groups, tailoring your push-ups to your individual needs and goals.
The correct execution of push-ups
In order to achieve ideal training results and avoid causing physical damage, it is important to perform the push-ups precisely. The classic push-up is performed lying on your stomach. The legs are stretched out and the arms are positioned under the shoulders. The body is then pushed upwards until the elbows are almost straight. It is important to ensure that the body forms a straight line and the gaze should also be directed towards the floor. After this position has been reached, the body is lowered towards the floor until the chest almost touches the ground. This can be repeated as often as desired.
Despite these instructions, many beginners will have difficulty performing the exercise precisely. Untrained people often have an incorrect posture in their midsection. Sometimes the hips are not stretched sufficiently, so that they sag towards the floor, and sometimes the buttocks are moved too far up. Both variants reduce the effectiveness of the workout. The same applies to moving the head up and down. The user may have the feeling that they are performing a precise and complete push-up, but in reality only the neck is being trained.
If the user is unable to perform the push-ups precisely because they lack the necessary strength, there is a solution for this too. By raising the hands, the center of gravity is shifted so that less weight has to be moved upwards from the arms. A chair is ideal for this. Another option for beginners is to do the push-ups on your knees. This variant also relieves the strain on the arms.
In general, push-ups rarely cause injuries. However, care should be taken to ensure that the athlete warms up and stretches sufficiently before training. Despite this, some users complain of wrist pain. This can be remedied by performing the push-ups on fists or using push-up handles.
What does push-up training do?
The classic push-up is considered one of the most effective physical exercises of all. It strengthens almost all of the muscles in the body, including the following:
- Chest muscles
- Shoulder
- Triceps
- biceps
- Gluteal muscles
- hull
- Abdominal muscles
In addition to training the various muscles, push-ups also improve coordination and balance. Mobility is also improved.
The variations of push-ups
Of course, there are other ways of doing push-ups in addition to the classic version. Push-ups with one arm are popular with advanced users, and you can also clap while doing them. Certain variations can also place greater strain on certain muscle groups. For example, if you place your hands in the middle between your chest muscles, you will train your triceps better. If you want to strengthen your chest muscles, you can do the exercise with your hands far apart. Particularly strong people can also put their legs higher. This means that the arms have to move more weight upwards, and the chest muscles are trained better.
Who are push-ups suitable for?
Since push-ups require almost the entire body, this exercise is an important part of training for every competitive athlete. But amateur athletes can also make use of this intensive exercise and thus strengthen the entire body.
In addition to athletes, push-ups are part of a performance assessment in many areas. For example, in the US military, candidates are subjected to a push-up test.
Push-ups – the records
A good motivation for beginners is the world record for push-ups. Charles Servizio, for example, managed an incredible 46,001 push-ups in one day. This secured him an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
how many push-ups should you do
The number of push-ups you should do depends on a number of factors, such as age, gender, fitness level, and personal goals. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some general guidelines:
- Beginners: If you're just starting out, you may only be able to do a few push-ups (3-5) with correct form at first. This is completely normal. Work on improving your strength and endurance by adding more reps over time.
- Average Fitness: A person with average fitness should be able to perform 10-20 push-ups without stopping.
- Good fitness: People with good physical fitness can usually do 20-40 push-ups without stopping.
- Excellent fitness: People with excellent physical fitness can often perform 40-60 or more push-ups without rest.
Again, the number of push-ups you should be able to do depends on your individual goals and fitness level. One way to track your progress is to take a push-up test regularly. Perform as many push-ups as you can with correct form and record the number of repetitions. Over time, you should be able to increase your repetitions and improve your overall fitness.
It's important to listen to your body and focus on good form rather than just increasing the number of reps. If you're having trouble reaching the suggested reps, you can start with modified versions of push-ups, such as knee push-ups, and gradually work your way up to full push-ups.
Push-ups muscle building
