Pushups at Home: Improve Strength Anywhere

Push-up Exercise Instructions

1. Start in a High Plank Position

   • Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor. Your arms should be straight, with your shoulders directly over your wrists.
   • Extend your legs behind you, with your feet together or slightly apart. Your body should form a straight line from head to heels.

2. Engage Your Core and Glutes

   • Tighten your core muscles and engage your glutes to keep your body stable. Avoid letting your hips sag or piking up.

3. Lower Your Body

   • Bend your elbows, keeping them close to your body (at a 45-degree angle from your torso). Lower your chest towards the floor, maintaining a straight line from head to heels. Aim to lower until your chest is just above the floor or as low as you can comfortably go.

4. Push Back Up

   • Press through your palms to straighten your arms and return to the starting high plank position. Keep your body rigid and avoid arching your back as you rise.

5. Repeat

   • Perform the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form throughout.

Push-up Exercise Tips

1. Keep Your Body in a Straight Line

   • Your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should remain aligned throughout the movement. Avoid letting your hips sag or sticking your butt up in the air.

2. Control the Descent

   • Don’t drop quickly towards the floor. Lower your body in a slow, controlled manner to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.

3. Hand Positioning

   • Your hands should be placed just outside your shoulders, with your fingers pointing forward. Placing them too wide or too narrow can strain your shoulders and reduce the effectiveness of the push-up.

4. Avoid Flaring Your Elbows

   • Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle to your body as you lower yourself. Flaring them out too wide can put unnecessary strain on your shoulder joints.

5. Breathe Properly

   • Inhale as you lower your body, and exhale as you push back up. This controlled breathing helps you maintain energy and stability throughout the exercise.

6. Engage Your Core and Glutes

   • Keep your abs and glutes tight throughout the movement to protect your lower back and maintain proper alignment.

7. Modify If Needed

   • If a full push-up is too challenging, start with a modified version:
     • Knee Push-ups: Drop your knees to the ground while keeping your body in a straight line from your knees to your head.
     • Incline Push-ups: Perform push-ups with your hands elevated on a bench, step, or wall.
   • As you get stronger, progress to the full push-up.

8. Use Variations for More Challenge

   • Diamond Push-ups: Place your hands close together under your chest, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers to target your triceps more.
   • Wide Push-ups: Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart to work more on your chest.
   • Plyometric Push-ups: Explode off the ground at the top of the movement, clapping your hands or just lifting your palms off the floor for added intensity.

9. Pay Attention to Shoulder Blades

   • As you lower yourself, your shoulder blades should come together. As you push up, focus on spreading them apart. This promotes proper movement and shoulder stability.

10. Don’t Rush

• Push-ups are more about quality than quantity. Focus on doing each rep with correct form rather than speeding through the set.