Push Up

Muscle Groups Involved

Chest/Pecs - Primary
Delts - Front - Primary
Triceps - Primary

Highlights

Keep your abs, quads and glutes braced the entire time.
Keep your elbows vertical throughout the entire movement.
Do not look up or down.
Come slightly forwards as you lower yourself towards the floor.

Description

The Push Up, quite possibly the most famous exercise in the world and maybe the first one you think of when somewhen says “exercise”. This classic exercise focuses on the chest, triceps, and shoulders but also gives a good workout to the core and even your lats when performed correctly. To perform the push up, start in a plank position with your hands placed roughly 3-6 inches away from your torso with the heels of your hands approximately even with your nipples. Brace your abs, glutes, and quads to maintain a neutral spine as you lower yourself towards the floor. Pause briefly at the bottom. Press yourself back up as you tighten your core until you reach the starting position.

Common Mistakes

Do not let your core relax. Keep it engaged throughout the entire exercise.

Do not let your core relax. Keep it engaged throughout the entire exercise. Do not flare your elbows out the side or keep them glued to your torso. Instead let them move where they want to naturally, while keeping your elbow pits facing forwards towards your head.

Pro Tips

Flare your lats and spread your shoulder blades while “pushing your armpi

Flare your lats and spread your shoulder blades while “pushing your armpits towards your hips” to increase the stability of your shoulders. If done properly you will feel your latissimus dorsi engage during the pushup, especially the lowering portion. When pressing back up from the bottom picture that you are scooping your hands up towards your head while imagining that you are pushing the earth away instead of your body away from the floor.

Purpose

The Push Up and its variations are fantastic for building the muscles in th

The Push Up and its variations are fantastic for building the muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the back. Lowering your hands with respect to your collarbones will stress the upper portion of your chest while raising your hands up will focus more on your lower chest.

Form

Use a mirror or a training partner to ensure that you are maintaining a neu

Use a mirror or a training partner to ensure that you are maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement and not doing the worm. Elbows should flare out approximately 35-45 degrees with respect to your torso.