Pushups are a basic exercise for building strength and power. They work the muscles of the upper body, but not only since it is a complete exercise that also involves all the other muscles. The pumps can be changed endlessly to work the muscles to different degrees. This body weight exercise can be done anywhere. All you need is a floor, and it is a basic calisthenics exercise with pull-ups, dips, and squats.
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Basic Position and Technique to do Pushups
- Place your hands on the floor(ground) so that they are a little more apart than the width of the shoulders, arms outstretched, and extend the legs behind you, feet together.
- The fingers are spread apart with the index fingers pointing forward and the thumbs inward. If your wrists hurt, you can do the pushups on the fists (knuckles), the wrists will be locked.
- The shoulders are above your hands at the level of the knuckles to keep your forearms perpendicular to the ground, both in the high position and in the low position.
- Your whole body is locked and cheered, and it forms a single line: head, blow, back, buttock, legs. You will tighten the abs, buttocks, and legs. You are in a plank position on your hands.
- Point your elbows behind by rotating your arms: without moving your hands from the ground, try to turn your hands outwards, as if your thumbs took the place of your index fingers.
- Flex your arms to bring your chin, chest, and hips to touch the ground at the same time.
- Do not spread your elbows; they must be relatively close to the body at an angle of less than 45 ° (do not make a “T shape” with the arms perpendicular to the body)
- Push on the arms while keeping your whole body locked up, arms outstretched, and locked. Be careful not to be too explosive when stretching your arms so as not to injure yourself.
- Keep the body feeling well during the whole movement.
- Inhale on the flexion and exhale on the repulsion.
6 Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do Not Lower Your Head
as if you were going to put your forehead between your 2 hands. Look at the ground about 1 meter in front of you to keep your head in line with your body.
Don’t Arch Your Back
you shouldn’t start hitting the ground with your hips or knees. The body is in one line, and you hit the ground with your chin, chest, and hips simultaneously.
Do Not Spread your Elbows Outwards
which makes your shoulders go up and creates tension. The elbows should stay close to the body at an angle of less than 45 °.
Do Not Leave or Return the Buttocks
the whole body must be well aligned and straight, remember to cheer the abs and buttocks. If you take your butt out, your waist is too small to lock the body.
Do Not Move Completely
many people do half-pumps; that is to say that they bend their arms a little and do not go up to the top. The amplitude is only a few centimeters. You must touch the ground in the low position and extend your arms in a high position. Otherwise, you are not working to the fullest extent possible.
Do Not Gait the Whole Body
You have to think that the pumps do not work only the pectorals and the arms, girth your abs, your buttocks, and your legs and keep the body in a plank position.
4 Exercises to Achieve Pushups
If you can’t seem to do pushups, here’s a little program to help you get there.
1. Wall Pumps
Facing the wall, feet together about 70 cm from the wall, lay your palms flat against the wall (index finger up and thumbs inward) so that they are a little more apart than your shoulders, arms tense. Bend your elbows and touch the wall with your nose. Push back to the initial position. Practice keeping head, back and legs aligned and lock the body (contracted abs and buttocks)
As soon as you manage to do the 3 sets of 40 repetitions with 1:30 minutes between sets, go to the next exercise.
2. Tilted Pumps
Facing a bench or chair, put your hands on it, a little wider than the width of your shoulders, arms and legs outstretched. Bend your elbows and touch the bench with your chest. Push back to the initial position. Keep the body aligned and lock it (abdominals and buttocks contracted) The greater the inclination, the easier the pumps will be (you can start with a table height for example); on the contrary, the lower the inclination (low object: bench, chair) the more difficult the pumps will be and close to the complete pumps. You can also use the steps of a staircase and descend them gradually one by one to arrive at a shallow inclination (only one step height).
As soon as you manage to do the 3 sets of 20 reps with 1:30 minutes between sets, go to the next exercise.
3. Knee Pumps
No, these are not ” girls ‘ pumps, “the pumps on the knees are normal pumps but easier because the weight supported by the arms is lower. Kneel on the ground, feet together, palms flat, a little more apart than the width of the shoulders, arms outstretched, the index finger in front and thumbs inside. Contract your abs and buttocks and keep your thighs, hips, back, and head aligned. Do not take out the buttocks with the body at 90 °! Bend your elbows and come to touch the ground with your chest.
As soon as you manage to do the 3 sets of 20 reps with 1:30 minutes between sets, go to the next exercise.
4. Half-Pumps
These are the pushups that many people do while thinking of making them “real”: they are not done with full amplitude (arms outstretched, torso on the ground). Use an object about 20 cm high (balloon or stack of books) and place it under your hips. Place yourself in the pushup position and, while keeping your body upright and sheathed, bend your elbows and touch the object with your hips. Push back to the initial position.
As soon as you manage to do the 3 sets of 20 reps with 1:30 minutes between sets, well done, you can do classic or “normal” pushups.
