What Are Push Ups?
Push ups are a bodyweight exercise that involves lowering your body to the ground and then pushing it back up. They are a compound exercise, which means they work multiple muscle groups at once. Push ups can be done anywhere and require no equipment.
Why Are Push Ups Important?
Push ups are important because they strengthen your upper body muscles, including your chest, shoulders, and triceps. They also engage your core muscles, which helps improve your posture and stability. Push ups can be modified to make them easier or harder, which makes them a versatile exercise for people of all fitness levels.
How to Do Proper Push Ups
1. Start in a high plank position with your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart and your feet together. 2. Lower your body until your chest touches the ground. 3. Keep your elbows close to your body and your back straight. 4. Push your body back up to the starting position. 5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Common Mistakes
There are several common mistakes people make when doing push ups. These include: – Letting your elbows flare out to the sides – Arching your back – Allowing your hips to sag – Not lowering your body all the way to the ground
How can I prevent these mistakes?
To prevent these mistakes, focus on keeping your elbows close to your body, engaging your core muscles, and lowering your body all the way to the ground. If you’re having trouble, try doing push ups on your knees or against a wall until you build up enough strength to do them on the ground.
Variations
There are many variations of push ups that you can do to target different muscle groups or make the exercise easier or harder. Some variations include: – Wide grip push ups – Diamond push ups – Incline push ups – Decline push ups – One-arm push ups
FAQ
How many push ups should I do?
The number of push ups you should do depends on your fitness level and goals. If you’re just starting out, try doing 3 sets of 10 reps. As you get stronger, you can increase the number of reps or sets.
How often should I do push ups?
You can do push ups every day, but it’s important to give your muscles time to rest and recover. Aim to do push ups 2-3 times per week, with at least one day of rest in between.
Can push ups help me lose weight?
Push ups can help you lose weight by building muscle mass, which increases your metabolism. However, they are not a substitute for a healthy diet and regular cardio exercise.
Conclusion
Push ups are a simple yet effective exercise for building upper body strength. By following these tips on how to do proper push ups, you can improve your form and get the most out of this exercise. Remember to start slowly and focus on proper form to avoid injury.