Bodybuilding Wizard

    Subscribe to Updates

    Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates from our team.

    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Why The Number On The Scale Doesn’t Matter?
    • Strength training basics: Single versus multiple sets
    • Safety and Potential Side Effects of High-Protein Diet
    • EZ Curl Bar: Benefits & Usage
    • Turmeric: A Spice That Help Increase Muscle Mass?
    • Order in the Gym: Is Training the Largest Muscles First the Best Way?
    • Half-Kneeling and Tall-Kneeling Pallof Press
    • Chinese Reverse Plank Exercise Guide
    RSS Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Pinterest Instagram
    Bodybuilding Wizard
    Subscribe
    • Home
    • Training
      • Weight training basics
      • Advanced bodybuilding
      • Workout programs
      • Home weight training programs
      • Cardio workout
      • Bodybuilding glossary
      • Exercise equipment
      • Weight training accessories
      • Weight lifting injuries
    • Exercises
      • Chest exercises
        • Middle chest exercises
        • Upper chest exercises
        • Lower chest exercises
      • Back exercises
        • Middle back (latissimus dorsi)
        • Upper back (trapezius)
        • Lower back (erector spinae)
      • Bicep exercises
      • Tricep exercises
      • Shoulder exercises
        • Front deltoid
        • Side deltoid
        • Rear deltoid
        • Rotator Cuff
      • Neck strengthening exercises
      • Quadricep exercises
      • Hamstring exercises
      • Calf exercises
      • Tibialis anterior exercises
      • Abdominal exercises
        • Upper abdominal exercises
        • Lower abdominal exercise
        • Oblique exercises
      • Core exercises
      • Forearm exercises
      • Glute & Hip exercises
      • Kettlebell exercises
      • Foam rolling & Stretching
      • Explosive (dynamic) lifts
    • Motivation
      • Videos
        • Motivational videos
        • Funny workout videos
      • Pictures
      • Quotes
      • Funny Fitness
      • Transformations
    • Diet
    • Supplements
    • Anatomy
    • FAQ
    • Forums
    Login
    Bodybuilding Wizard
    You are at:Home»Exercises»Chest exercises»Middle chest exercises»Chest Push-Ups
    Push Ups Chest Bodyweight Exercise
    Push Ups Chest Bodyweight Exercise

    Chest Push-Ups

    0
    By krunoslav on April 27, 2014 Middle chest exercises
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Tumblr WhatsApp

    Chest Push-Ups

    Push-ups look easy, but like any other exercise technique is key. They are a great starter as you are literally pushing your own body weight. Bad push-up technique is common, and unfortunately it can cause shoulder and/or lower back injuries. In this post we will teach you how to perform push-ups correctly.

    Push-ups (press-ups) are one of the simplest but most effective exercise for your chest, shoulders, and arms. In order to perform a push-up, you don’t need any equipment: just yourself. 75% of your body weight you lift when you do a standard push-up, according to the research of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

    Perfect Push-ups: Proper Exercise Form

    Proper form & technique:

    Push-Ups
    Push-Ups
    • Get down on all fours and place your hands on the floor (fingers facing slightly inward) so that they’re slightly wider than and in line with your shoulders;
    • Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Your body should be rigid like a board as you come down;
    • Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible;
    • If your hips sag at any point during the exercise, your form has broken down. When this happens, consider that your last repetition and end the set.

    Anatomic Focus

    Hand position: Don’t take your hands out too wide. Put your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Hands should be turned out 45 degrees.
    Tuck your elbows: This is easier on your shoulders. Keep your elbows at a 45 degree angle to your body during push-ups.
    Push your abs out: There should be a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Push your abs out as if someone was going to punch you in the stomach.
    Squeeze your glutes: Push your abs out while squeezing your glutes hard. Both will avoid any hyperextension of your lower back.
    Tuck your chin: Lead with your chest, not with your head. Your neck must stay in-line with the rest of your spine. Don’t look forward.

    Additional Tips & Key Points to Remember

    • Be careful not to let your torso sag in the middle as you push yourself up or your hips lift up during the exercise. Continually contract the abdominals to keep a strong, straight body position.
    • Don’t drop your hips.
    • Your head should stay in the same position from start to finish.
    • In other words, throughout the entire movement, your body should be in a straight line. From your heels to your neck, nothing should be bent. Be especially certain not to let your pelvis drop toward the ground, or let your butt stick up in the air at all.
    • Let your chest fall until your upper arms are at least parallel to the floor. A perfect push-up is done by touching your chest to the ground.
    • Tuck your elbows as you lower your body so that your upper arms form a 45-degree angle with your body in the bottom position of the movement.

    Make it Easier & Harder

    If you’re not ready for the classic push-up, you can start working up to it by placing your hands on an elevated
    surface. The higher the surface, the easier it gets. Similarly, putting your feet up makes it more difficult, as well as focusing more attention on your shoulders.

    Muscles Engaged

    What muscles do push-ups work? Push-ups target your pectoralis major. However, they will also hit your front deltoids and triceps, since these muscles assist in just about every version of the movements. Your rotator, trapezius, serratus anterior, and abdominals all contract to keep your shoulders, core, and hips stable as you perform the move.

    • Main muscles: pectoralis major, triceps, deltoids (anterior)
    • Secondary muscles: serratus anterior, coracobrachialis, subscapularis
    • Antagonists: latissimus dorsi, biceps, deltoids (posterior)

    Basic (classic) Push-Up Variation

    • Frame-supported push-up. Using a pair of frames will give you a greater range of motion than with the standard push-up. By gripping the pair of frames instead of having your palms directly flat on the floor, your wrist will stay nice and straight, preventing painful strain.
    Frame-supported push-up
    Frame-supported push-up
    • Frame-supported push-up with feet on the bench (decline push-ups). The higher your feet, the more your shoulders are brought into play. The upper part of the pectoral muscle (clavicular area) and the center part work harder in this variant. You can also try moving the frames wider or closer. Close spacing will work your triceps more.
    Decline push-ups
    Decline push-ups
    • Exercise ball push-ups (press-ups). Get in a push-up position, placing the lower part of your shins on top of an exercise ball. Your head, back, hips and knees should be in a straight line. Follow the same stabilization, alignment, and exercise range-of-motion principles as described above (for the basic push-up). Do not let your hips sag or your shins and insteps to move off the top of the stability ball.
    Stability ball push-ups
    Stability ball push-ups
    • Push-ups between two Chairs – Deep push-ups

    Substitutes (Alternative Exercises)

    There are many other exercises to target your middle chest area. Each exercise works the middle pecs and supporting muscles slightly differently. Remember, specificity requires that you choose exercises that reflect your needs and goals. Visit our middle chest exercise database.

    • Flat barbell bench press
    • Flat bench dumbbell press
    • Machine chest press
    • Machine bench press
    • Smith-machine bench press

    Summing Up

    This exercise is similar to the flat bench press, but it uses the body’s own weight. Push-ups build upper-body strength and power, which transfers to punching and pushing power. Make this a full-body exercise by engaging the core and keeping the glutes squeezed as tightly as possible throughout the set.

    Because you control your own weight, the push-up has more real-world usefulness than the bench press but is less effective at building mass because it is hard to vary the resistance. Use it to build endurance and strengthen shoulder stabilisers.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp
    krunoslav
    • Twitter

    Hey! My name is Kruno, and I'm the owner and author of Bodybuilding Wizard. I started this website back in late 2014, and it has been my pet project ever since. My goal is to help you learn proper weight training and nutrition principles so that you can get strong and build the physique of your dreams!

    Related Posts

    One-arm push-ups: The ultimate push-ups

    Barbell Floor Press Exercise

    Dumbbell cable press exercise

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    WE ARE SOCIAL
    • Facebook 181
    • Twitter 476
    • YouTube 97
    • Instagram
    RECENT POSTS
    April 17, 2022

    Why The Number On The Scale Doesn’t Matter?

    April 12, 2022

    Strength training basics: Single versus multiple sets

    April 10, 2022

    Safety and Potential Side Effects of High-Protein Diet

    April 8, 2022

    EZ Curl Bar: Benefits & Usage

    April 6, 2022

    Turmeric: A Spice That Help Increase Muscle Mass?

    RECENT COMMENTS
    • Justin Dew on Designing your own home gym
    • krunoslav on Meet Your Muscles: How muscles are named?
    • Christina on Meet Your Muscles: How muscles are named?
    • jack on Types Of Whey Protein
    • igtropin on Stiff-Leg Deadlift Technique
    LATEST GALLERIES

    Subscribe to Updates

    Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates from our team.

    ABOUT
    ABOUT

    We are a group of bodybuilding enthusiasts and this is our effort to have all the details about bodybuilding at a single website. Bodybuilding Wizard will make your dream body your reality.

    We're social, connect with us:

    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest YouTube
    POPULAR POSTS
    April 2, 2014

    Lying Leg Curl Exercise Guide

    February 18, 2019

    Meet Your Muscles: How muscles are named?

    March 30, 2014

    Workout Frequency

    BODYBUILDING WIZARD
    Bodybuilding Wizard Footer Logo
    Copyright © 2014-2021 BodybuildingWizard. All rights reserved. Powered by WordPress.
    • About
    • Privacy
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
    • Friends
    • Advertising

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Sign In or Register

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below.

    Lost password?