Push Ups

January Foodbank Challenge – Basic form and modifications for Push-ups

PUSH-UP – Muscles Trained – Trice[s, biceps, deltoids, and transverse abdominals

BENEFITS OF PUSH-UPS
A compound exercise (involves multiple muscle groups, joints and movements). Improves upper body strength and core stability, which in turn helps with any lower back pain.

BASIC MOVE
1 – Get on all fours, with hands stacked directly under your shoulders but positioned slightly wider than your shoulders.
2 – Extend your legs straight back so that your body is in a straight line balanced on your toes and hands. The position of your feet is whatever is comfortable for you. If you have a tummy bulge, consider widening your feet.
3 – Engage your core and breath in as you bend your elbows to lower yourself down until your elbows creates a 90-degree angle.
4 – Breath out as you squeeze your chest muscles to push back up through your hands to the starting position.

CHECK YOUR FORM
1 – Is your stomach sagging down? Ensure your core is engaged. A sagging stomach will place a strain on your back.
2 – Ensure your neck is in neutral alignment., keep your eyes gazed down at the floor and imagine the top of your head is attached to the wall in front of you by a cord
3 – Do not lock your elbows at either end of the move
4 – If you have a limited range of movement try a modification. You will not benefit from repeating push-ups with a limited range of movement but can build strength over time with a modification.
5 – Always ensure your hands are stacked directly under your shoulders. You can position your hands wider or closer, they should always be stacked directly under the shoulders to prevent shoulder strain.

MODIFICATIONS – making it easier or harder
1 – If you are top heavy or have issues with your shoulders or lower back a great modification is to move the push-up of the floor and push-up against the wall, or kitchen work-top, or stool (incline push-up). Stand several feet away and stack hands under shoulders in the same way you would a floor push-up
2 – Bent knee push-ups – Get on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Then move your hands just in front of you. Move your body forward to align and stack your hands under your shoulders, but your hips will now no longer be stacked above your knees but in front. Move up
and down as per the normal pus-up
3 – If you want to improve upper strength but cant get the range of movement lower yourself into a push-up but allow your self to drop gently to the floor before pushing up again into the starting position.
4 – Half the number of push-ups
5 – Increase the number of push-ups
6 – Decline push-ups – have your feet on a block or stool
7 – Diamond pus-up – have your hands close together with tips of thumbs and index fingers touching
8 – One handed, on your knuckles, fingers… just showing off now!