Ready to do a push-up? You might be thinking:  "Yeah right!" or “I'm too weak!" or “I'm too old!"

What if I told you our trainers at Edward-Elmhurst Health & Fitness could have you doing a proper push-up in just a few minutes? And, we can achieve this no matter your age or sex!

Okay ... now I must be losing it, right? Well, by the end of this blog, you will have the tools to do a proper push-up.

First, why should you want to?

Why?

The push-up is a bodyweight exercise that targets multiple muscles at once. We're talking your chest, shoulders, triceps, core and legs! If your goal is to lose weight, gain lean muscle, and/or spend less time in the gym you would be remiss not to make the push-up a staple of your exercise routine.

Also, successfully mastering a push-up can give you a true sense of empowerment. Whether you have lost the ability to do one or never quite had the strength before, now is the time! Here's how:

How to do a push-up:

Most people think the push-up has to be done on the ground. The truth is you can get all the same benefits from doing an elevated push-up.  Plus, if your goal is to one day do a push-up off the ground, this is the way to get there. 

Just as you would gradually increase the resistance by adding weight to other exercises, with an elevated push-up you can progressively increase the difficulty by lowering the surface your hands are on. You can use this method until you reach the ground. Not to mention, the elevated push-up will let you focus on your form, perform the exercise in a full range of motion, and progress safely. Let's get stronger, avoid injury, and see our progress as we lower the bar.

Form:

Start Position:

1. Hands - shoulder width or wider apart
2. Arms - fully extended and shoulder blades “reaching”
3. Feet - flat or on the balls
4. Hips - fully extended forward (Plank Position)
5. Posture - head, middle back, and glutes all in a line

End Position:

1. Hands - shoulder width or wider apart
2. Arms - bent so that the elbows are out at a 45-degree angle (view from behind) and stop at the sides of the body (side view)   
3. Feet - flat or on the balls
4. Hips - fully extended forward (Plank Position)
5. Posture - head, middle back, and glutes all in a line

Things to avoid:

1. Setting up poorly on the bar: When you lower to the bottom position, your hands should be about mid-chest height or lower. If you find your hands are too high or low, simply walk your feet closer or farther away from the bar.
2. Hips dropping: Try to keep your core and glutes active throughout the exercise. As your core fatigues, your hips might start to sag towards the ground. If this happens, stop, reset your starting position, and squeeze your core and glutes before you lower.
3. Shoulders rounding: Keep your shoulders from falling forward. This tends to happen when you lower too close to the bar and your elbows end up way behind your body. Instead, stop just as your elbows get to the sides of your body. Your shoulders will thank you later.
4. Forward head posture: Keep your head in line with your body by looking at a spot on the floor just over the bar. Now tuck your chin and avoid your head sliding forward.

Adding the push-up to your exercise routine can really be a S.M.A.R.T. move! To find some motivation and to learn more about S.M.A.R.T. goals, read our blog: How to motivate yourself to exercise.

If you’re still struggling to find motivation or want to learn more exercises and how to implement them into a rock-solid routine, contact Edward-Elmhurst Health & Fitness to see how one of our personal trainers can take your fitness to the next level.

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