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How to Perform Push Ups!
Push ups is a long-time body exercise used for strengthening the upper limbs.
Unlike what may seem, this exercise affects not only the upper limbs, but affects almost all the musculature of the body.
In fact, if on the one hand the upper limbs work in a dynamic way (mainly the muscles of the arms, shoulders and chest and in a lesser way those of the back and forearms), there are other muscles that instead work as stabilisers and therefore are activated in isometric (static) manner.
These stabilisers are represented by all the muscles that make up the trunk and the pelvis.
When you have excellent synergy between these muscles, you can control your body;
therefore, it is easier to maintain the right balance without creating imbalances and therefore, when performing the push-ups, regardless of the movement of the upper limbs, the trunk and the pelvis always remain in the same position of a proper balance, respecting the curves make up the spine.
Be careful
When You perform push-ups, the muscles of the back, prevertebral, the square of the loins and the hip are hypotonic, therefore not very well trained, the position that is assumed to perform the push-ups results with the pelvis too high.
When performing the push-ups with this type of posture it is easier to create damage to one’s organism rather than benefits, since one works in a situation of disequilibrium where the forces are dependent on the sacral join tract.
The same is true even when the abdominal muscles are hypotonic and the position taken to perform the push-up results with the pelvis too low.
Here the position taken is of an attitude of lumbar hyper-lordosis which is also very harmful to the vertebral column.
These two executive errors are very frequent in the untrained subjects, but they are equally frequent in those trained.
For example, those who train only and only with isotonic machines do not control their stabilisers, since it does not activate them because of the work that is bound and excludes the neuromotor coordination skills.
These two positions can be taken even when the muscles of the upper limbs are deficient, and even if the subject controls its stabilisers, it assumes the wrong position as compensation for this hypotonia.
To avoid this, the exercise can be performed by placing the knees on the ground, so that the forces on the trunk are smaller because of the lever which – being shorter – loads less on both the upper limbs and the trunk, ensuring same time greater stability.
Maybe you don’t know that for push-ups they help you develop Killer Abs
Ok, let’s dive in it!
How to perform Push Ups
Assume a face-down prone position on the floor
Keep your feet together. Your weight should be on your chest.
- Position hands palms-down on the floor, approximately shoulder width apart. They should be about next to your shoulders, with your elbows pointed towards your toes.
- If you are on a relatively cushioned surface, such as a carpeted floor, you may also support yourself on your fists between the first and second knuckles for a greater challenge.
- If you are on a less forgiving surface, consider investing in some push-up trips, (they look like handles you put on the floor).
- Curl your toes upward (towards your head). The balls of your feet should touch the ground.
Raise yourself using your arms
At this point, your weight should be supported by your hands and the balls of your feet. Make a straight line from your head to your heels, and contract your abdominals to keep your hips from sagging. This position is called a “plank,” which is used for other various exercises.
This is the beginning and the end position of a single push up.
Pick the type of push up that works best for you.
There are actually three types of basic push up variations that use different muscles. The difference is where you place your hands while in the plank position. The closer your hands are together, the more you will engage your triceps. The wider apart they are, the more you will engage your chest.
- Regular: your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders. This works both your arms and your chest.
- Diamond: put your hands close together in a diamond shape, keep them directly under your chest.
- This will require you to engage your arms much more than a standard push up.
- Wide-arm: place your hands a good way’s out from your shoulders. This version mostly works the chest and requires less strength in the arms.
Now, you know how to perform push-ups…what about pull-ups?
Read and learn how to perform pull-ups.