Pushups - August 25, 2021
These are the same pushups you’ve been doing since elementary school more or less. Although they’re vanilla, they’re the standard for a reason, they target chest, shoulders, triceps, as well as back and core muscles.
Form:
Keep hands shoulder width apart and facing forward. Hold arms straight without locking them to start. Breathe in as you bend your elbows and come down to touch the floor with your nose. Breathe out while pushing back up. If it’s too difficult start with your knees n the ground.
This is functionally similar to the regular push up but placing your hands wider can focus attention on pectoral muscles.
Form:
Keep hands further than shoulder width apart. The further apart the hands are the more difficult they get, so feel free to adjust the settings. Push up and down the same as a regular push up.
To focus on tricep development, use a narrow spacing with your hands touching in a diamond or triangle shape between index fingers and thumbs.
Form:
Make a triangle with your index fingers and thumbs directly below the center of your chest. This is easier to do from a lying down position. Keep your arms angled inwards throughout the up and down phases.
Activate your core while training both arms independently.
Form:
Keep one hand at shoulder level and the other at the mid core level. Come down while keeping your elbows tight. Rotate hand placements in between sets.
For an advanced technique try targeting upper body along with activating core, hips, shoulders, and arms. This can help train for one arm pushups.
Form:
Begin by getting in the wide push up position. Come down toward one side while bending one arm and keeping the other as straight as possible. Alternate sides by repetition.
Isolate one arm at a time by doubling the weight and activating core stability.
Form:
Because you’ll be balancing on one arm, place your legs wider apart than a standard push up. Keep one arm centered underneath your chest and the other folded behind your back for optimal balance. Keep your back as flat as possible and resist the temptation to twist on the down motion.
An advanced technique that trains explosiveness and just feels fun.
Form:
Keep your hands a bit wider than the standard and come down to the bottom of the push up position. Push up as fast as possible and generate the force required to lift your body and hands off the ground. As your airtime increases try to clap before you come back down.