If you do not want to miss your workouts or exercise due to paucity of time, push ups are the best option. From the early days you know about this exercise. This is the only exercise that a person of all ages can easily do. Let us know about the best variations of push ups.
Often you may have seen people push up in the park or gym. Even the soldiers in the army are given a lot of emphasis on doing this exercise. It is also known as military exercise. Many people also believe that it is very important to make push-up exercise to make toned chests. By doing this exercise, the inner parts of chest also emerges out.
Push-up is one of the normal strength enhancement and conditioning exercise for anyone. You can do it anywhere and there is no need of any equipment. Push-ups basically trigger primary muscle of the chests, but in addition, it also put loads on shoulders, triceps, cores, lats, lower back, feet and glutes.
If someone want to gain muscles or want to warm-up, then it the best option for you. It is mostly seen that people start their exercise with the push up into the gym. Do you know the reason?
This is because the push up makes your body warm quickly and it creates a very good tension on the targeted as well as the different part of the muscles. If you are bored by picking up heavy weight, you can increase your strength with different variations of push ups. Also, you can maintain chest muscularity.
It is also fun to do these variations. After knowing about them, you will also include them in your workouts.
What is Push up Exercise?
Push up is an exercise that is placed in the category of freestyle workouts. More push-ups increase the strength of your muscle endurance to a limit.
Push-ups more often will help you increase muscle tolerance, but with strength training exercise you have to increase its intensity to get stronger. Now the question arises as to how to increase the intensity of this exercise on body weight. You will find your answer in this article.
What are the Benefits of Push Ups?
- Push ups remove excess fat deposited in your muscles. This process uses most of the muscles in your body, helping to burn calories in a better way.
- When you tilt the stomach towards the ground, your back muscles stretch in a better way. Also, there is a special stretch on the shoulders. This increases your elasticity and develops the body in such a way that you do not easily suffer. At the same time, elasticity also leads to personality.(1)
- This strengthens your cardiovascular system as your heart has to be more active to deliver blood to all of them when activated by many muscles.(2)
- Muscle activities produce more muscle mass. Which helps in the development of the body.(3)
- Push ups protect you from shoulder injuries.
- Push ups help to fix posture.
- Injuries to the lower back also prevents.
- In a short time, a stronger body can be built.
- Prevents aging.(4)
- The whole body exercises at no cost and you don’t even have to go anywhere. By pushing up at home, you make as much labour as you sweat in the gym and you don’t have to pay any fees.
What are the Disadvantages of Push ups?
Push-up may hurt the wrist.
According to the American Council on Exercise, there is a lot of pressure on your elbow when you perform this exercise. Using dumbbell while pushing up can keep the elbows safe. For this you have to hold the dumbbell in both hands.(5)
Instead of placing the palms directly on the floor, you catch the dumbbell and then lift your body upwards with the help of dumbbells. Do not bend the whole body down. Do not bring the body down until your whole body is over the dumbbell.
Push-ups can Hurt Shoulders.
Your shoulders must be strong to do push-ups properly. This is what the American Council on Exercise says. If you have any kind of injury to your shoulders, you should consult your doctor before doing push up.
In any condition if your shoulders are not strong and healthy, push-ups can hurt them further. If you hear the sound of a shoulders crackling while pushing up, stop pushing up immediately and contact with your doctor.
How to Increase the Intensity of Push ups?
Change Speed.
You have to gradually bring down the body as much as possible when you push up. Then you can lift the body up within a second when you come down. In comparison, you have to take the body down in 3-5 seconds. The second way is to stop the body in the middle for 3 seconds when you raise the body in push-ups.
Placing Feet on Top of the Foot.
The second best way to make push-ups more difficult is to lift the weight of the whole body by placing one foot on the other foot or you can put feet on the bench.
In addition, you take the body above the ground. Turning push-ups into a more intense exercise will make it better for you to learn to do it slowly and slowly. When your body takes it, you move towards the next step.
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Now lets take a look on best variations of push ups.
Push Ups Variations.
Here are 10 variations of push ups:
- Normal Push-Ups.
- Wide Grip Push Ups.
- Incline Push-Ups.
- Diamond Push-Ups.
- Clapping Push Ups.
- Single Leg Push Ups.
- Superman Push Ups.
- Spider-man Push Ups.
- One Arm Push Ups.
- Eccentric Push Ups.
Normal Push-Ups.
Normal push-up works on the muscles of your shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps, back, inner abdominal muscles, quads and hips.
You may feel like a plank in which the whole body is kept very strict when you come down. A fitness expert on normal push-ups says that you have to keep the neck and spinal cord in the same line directly while doing this.
How to do Normal Push Ups?
Step 1.
At first you have to create a plank position in which both palms have to be placed in the width of the shoulders on the ground. Keep in mind the line of your hands should be within the shoulders.
Step 2.
You have to make the whole body in a straight line. Then bend your arms and go closer to the ground. Your hands should become an angle of 90 degrees in front of the upper body. After doing so, you have to go up again to the same stage.
Set.
4-5.
Repetitions.
10-15 reps and then gradually increase them.
Wide Grip Push Ups.
The way to push up wide grip resembles normal push-ups. In wide grip push-ups, the hand is kept spread slightly more than the width of the shoulders. This causes more pressure on your shoulder ‘anterior deltoids’ and chest ‘pectoralis minor’ muscles. These muscles are close to the upper part of the chest and shoulders.
How to do Wide Grip Push Ups?
Step 1.
Create a plank like position. Keep both palms straight on the ground.
Step 2.
The palms will spread slightly more than the width of the shoulders. At the same time, the palms will be inside the shoulders.
Step 3.
Then move as close as possible to the floor and then come up, keeping the body in a straight line.
Set.
3-4.
Repetitions.
10-15 reps and then gradually increase them.
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Incline Push Ups.
It is one of the effective variations of push ups. If you have difficulty in doing normal push-ups or you have to make a huge effort to go up and down, the incline push-up will prove to be a better option for you. You can easily exercise the incline push up with the help of a wall, table or chair.
The exercise of normal incline push up can be done with the help of a bench, table or 3 feet high.
How to do Incline Push Ups?
Step 1.
Stand in front of the edge of the bench, table or bed. Keep your two hands lightly on the edges of the bench, their width should be slightly higher than the shoulders.
Step 2.
Your elbow should be lose. Keep your feet in such a way that your body is completely in a straight line.
Step 3.
Thereafter, gently bend your hands and take the chest to the bench. While doing so, your body should be very stable and upright.
Step 4.
Then move your body backwards from the bench. Unless you have to do this, don’t completely straights your hands. You don’t have to lock them while straightening them. When you come upwards, exhale.
Set.
3-4.
Repetitions.
12-15 reps and then gradually increase them.
Your body should not be crooked or shaken at all when you push up. You don’t have to bend knees or hips. There should be a straight line from the toe to the head. If you have difficulty in making this posture, perhaps your stomach and abdominal muscles may weaken. It can be improved by the exercise of these muscles.
When you push up, you have to take your body up and down. Your sides will also be straight and bent. If you have difficulty in doing so, do it with a bench that is high. Additionally, you can also use a wall. You have to stand as close as possible so that you can come down all over.
Diamond Push Ups.
Diamond close grip is a popular and effective variations of push ups. In this variation, your whole body is like a normal push up, your hands are nearer than the shoulder width.
Some people find it harder than other push ups. But it is very good for your upper body. It also puts loads on triceps and cores.
How to do Diamond Push Ups?
Step 1.
Keep in mind that while doing this variation, your hands are so close that both the thumbs of your hand collide with each other.
Step 2.
The place between the hands becomes a triangle. Maintain this position and come downward and back.
Set.
3-4.
Repetitions.
8-10 reps and then gradually increase them.
Clapping Push Ups.
It is another effective variations of push ups where you have to clap with going up.
How to do Clapping Push Ups?
Step 1.
Make a normal push up position. Use full strength to take the body above the ground.
Step 2.
Take care of the time to clap. While going back from strength, you can clap and keep the hands on the ground again.
It is better take support during this position or it may hurt you.
Set.
2-3.
Repetitions.
6-8 reps and then gradually increase them.
Single Leg Push Ups.
Single leg push up is the most challenging exercise in push-up methods. This exercise can be done only when the whole body is stable from your feet to the head. In this exercise, each muscle in your body should be able to lift yourself on one leg. Most of the time it is even difficult for most of the people.
How to do Single Leg Push Ups?
Step 1.
To do this exercise, you have to create a plank stage in which your body should be raised upwards. Your hands should be directly under the shoulders and your feet should also be separated from the hip.
Step 2.
Then you have to gently raise one leg upwards. While doing so, you have to keep in mind that your hips turn into the air. You have to keep the shoulders and hips on the ground side.
Step 3.
Then shrink the hips and drag the navel towards the spine. As soon as your body comes to the ground, your elbow will turn in the direction of both corners of the room.
Step 4.
Then your body will reach full depth towards the ground and then you have to exhale. After breathing, you have to go back to the initial stage.
Set.
2-3.
Repetitions.
8-10 reps and then gradually increase them.
Superman Push Ups.
Push ups in which you have to put more power. It is considered to be the most difficult among them. This is the next level of exercise. You have to stretch your whole body by touching the ground.
These push ups target the fast blood circulation in your chest and also create new muscles with increasing their strength.
How to do Superman Push Ups?
Step 1.
Make a normal push up like position. As soon as you go upwards, your whole body should stretch in parallel.
Step 2.
Your hands will straight along with the shoulder. Then you have to start the repetition.
Set.
2-3.
Repetitions.
6-8 reps and then gradually increase them.
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Spider-man Push Ups.
If you are tired of doing normal push-ups, you need to make it challenging. Spider-man push-ups mainly strengthen the chest and sides, but this makes the flexibility in the hips and the inner muscles of the abdomen stronger.
Learning how to push up Spider-man will help you to keep the upper part of the body strong, which also improves the texture of your body. While learning this, you can also get rid of the difficulties in the waist.
Your abdominal muscles will not necessarily be considered strong only if you have six pack abs. Your core comes with abs, back, shoulders and hips. It is a difficult exercise to keep the body texture good while being free from groin pain and injury. With this exercise you can easily workout these muscles.
How to do Spider-man Push Ups?
Step 1.
Keep your two hands on the mat slightly away from the width of the shoulders. Spread the legs and activate the abdominal muscles in it and make the thumbs of both legs in the plank state.
Step 2.
Move the elbow downwards the ground by turning it out. At the same time, your chest will go towards the floor. Then take the left knee out of the elbow. Keep the knees stopped until one counts.
Step 3.
Then bring the feet back to the same stage. You have to do it with the other foot also. While doing this exercise, you do not let the body’s posture deteriorate (when the muscles of the abs and the hips shrink).
Set.
2-3.
Repetitions.
6-8 reps and then gradually increase them.
One Arm Push Ups.
This is the next level of the push up. Dangerous so that without practice, your shoulders, elbows or mouth may be hurt.
How to do One Arm Push Ups?
Step 1.
To do this you have to come to normal push up position. Now you have to put one hand on the back.
Step 2.
Then go down slowly like push up, which is difficult. While doing this, take the advice of an expert and practice it in his under.
Set.
2-3.
Repetitions.
6-8 reps and then gradually increase them.
Eccentric Push Ups.
In this exercise of push-ups, the body is gradually moved downwards and is brought up to the top after going down.
Now you will think about why you should do this exercise? Many studies have shown that if you pay attention to speed when you go down while pushing up, it also increases your strength and muscle size.
How to do Eccentric Push Ups?
Step 1.
You have to come to the stage of Plank to do this exercise. The shoulders and the hands should be parallel.
Step 2.
Then bend the arms in a straight line and gradually move towards the ground. You should count up to about 3 to reach the bottom. Then come back again at once to move upwards.
Set.
3-4.
Repetitions.
8-10 reps and then gradually increase them.
Frequently Asked Questions.
1. What muscles do push ups work?
Push up mainly focus on eight muscle groups of the body such as;
- Chest muscles or Pectorals.
- Shoulders or Deltoids.
- Biceps.
- Back of your arms or Triceps.
- Abdominal.
- Wing muscles or Serratus anterior.
- Lower back.
- Core.
2. How many push ups should I able to do?
It is very important to challenge your ability and push your limit during push up exercise. It’s different at your level;
- Beginners – 60-80 push up in one session.
- Intermediate – 80-100 push up in one session.
- Advance – 100-120 push up in one session.
It is important to maintain an odd even routine, as your body requires recovery. You may push your limit with the time period.
3. How to do more push ups?
There are three ways through which you can do more push up, such as;
- Increase intensity – If you increase intensity during push such as, with more sets you can easily get the benefits within a weak.
- Increase load – With a load you can increase your cardiovascular capacity during push up and as a result when you perform this exercise you will found more strength.
- More repetition – If you have capacity of 10 repetition then try to complete two more rep. Through which you can easily increase your push up ability.
4. How many calories do push ups burn?
Generally, push ups burn up to 7 calories per minute. However, how many calories you burn while doing push ups is depend upon your weight, age and gender. Beside it also depend on repetition, frequency and techniques.
Bottom Line.
Also there are several variations of push ups by which you can target your different muscle groups for example with decline position and many more. But the push ups variations mentioned above is very effective. So, include them in your workouts plan.
In other words, it improves the size of the chest. It would be wrong to say that this exercise only affects the muscles of the chest. In fact, your shoulders, triceps, biceps, back and abdominal internal muscles are activated while pushing up.
+4 Sources
Freaktofit has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, educational research institutes, and medical organizations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy.
- Selective Activation of Shoulder, Trunk, and Arm Muscles: A Comparative Analysis of Different Push-Up Variants; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4732391/
- Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men; https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2724778
- Effect of the push-up exercise at different palmar width on muscle activities; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4792988/
- Healthy Aging; https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/healthy-aging
