Pushups are one of the tried-and-true exercises that you can perform. It’s been around forever. Pushups are performed in a prone position with back flat, stomach in, palms on the floor and balancing on your toes.
Benefits of Pushups
- It can be done anywhere: at home, outdoors or at the gym.
- It can be combined with other weight-bearing exercises such as squats, planks, tricep dips to name a few.
- It can be done at any fitness level. If just starting out, you can do a modified pushup on your hands and knees. As you build strength and endurance, you can advance to a full body pushup on your toes.
- It’s versatile. Pushups can be done in a variety of hand positions to activate other muscle groups. Also, pushups can be done at various inclines or even in a decline position. Lastly, pushups can be done on a stability or BOSU ball. Mixing up hand positions, varying the incline, using weights or using a stability/BOSU ball will keep your muscles from getting used to the same repeated motion.
- Don’t be fooled into thinking that only your upper body is involved. Pushups are a total body work out. Several muscle groups are involved in a pushup and they include the following: chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, neck, back, abdomen, buttocks and legs.
- As with any strength training exercise, it helps build bone mass.
- It is a great way to build strength and endurance. You will know when you are getting stronger, because over time you will be able to increase the number of consecutive pushups that you can do.
Pushups are a challenging and difficult exercise, but when done correctly and with proper form, it can transform your body. To prevent injury, I recommend that you seek the guidance from a fitness professional who can teach you proper form.
