Introduction
Pushups are a great way to build strength and tone multiple muscle groups in your body. They’re one of the most accessible exercises out there—all you need is your own bodyweight and some floor space. But what do pushups work out? And how can you make sure you’re doing them correctly? Read on to learn all about the benefits of pushups and how to maximize your pushup workouts.
What Muscles Do Pushups Work Out?
Before we dive into the specifics of how to do pushups, let’s talk about which muscles you’ll be targeting with this exercise. Pushups primarily work out your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. According to Dr. Brian Abelson, a physiotherapist and sports medicine specialist, “The main muscles worked during a pushup are the pectoralis major, triceps brachii, anterior deltoid, and serratus anterior. Secondary muscles used are the rectus abdominis, external obliques, latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius.”
The Complete Guide to Pushups
Now that you know which muscles you’ll be working when you do pushups, let’s take a look at the basics of how to do them correctly. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial:
1. Start on the floor in a prone position (or lying face down) with your legs together and toes pointing up. Place your hands directly below your shoulders, palms flat on the floor.
2. Engage your core and press your body up off the ground until your arms are straight. Make sure your back is straight and your head is aligned with your spine.
3. Lower your body back down to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement. Keep your elbows close to your sides as you lower.
4. Repeat for as many reps as desired.
Common mistakes to avoid include not engaging your core, allowing your back to arch or dip, or flaring your elbows out too wide. It’s also important to keep your neck in line with your spine and not allow your head to drop down or tilt up.
Pushups: A Comprehensive Exercise for Total Body Strength
Pushups are an incredibly effective exercise for building strength in your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Not only that, but they also help to improve posture, balance, and coordination. Plus, they’re easy to modify to fit your skill level. There are countless variations of pushups that you can do to target different muscle groups and increase the intensity of your workout.
Benefits of Pushup Variations
One of the great things about pushups is that you can easily adjust them to make them more or less challenging. For instance, you can do incline or decline pushups to target different muscle groups. You can also add weight, such as a weighted vest or dumbbells, to increase the intensity of the exercise. This allows you to progress your workouts as your strength increases.
How To Maximize Your Pushup Workout
If you’re looking to get the most out of your pushup workouts, it’s important to focus on form and technique. Make sure you’re engaging your core and keeping your back straight throughout the entire movement. Also, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself by increasing the number of reps or adding weight. Finally, make sure to take rest days between workouts to give your muscles time to recover.
Pushup Variations: Get Creative With Your Pushup Workouts
Once you’ve mastered the basics of the traditional pushup, it’s time to start getting creative with your workouts. There are numerous different types of pushups that you can do to target different muscle groups and increase the intensity of your workouts. Here are just a few examples:
- Wide-arm pushups
- Diamond pushups
- Clap pushups
- Spiderman pushups
- Pike pushups
- Single-leg pushups
Tips for Making Pushups More Challenging
If you’re looking for ways to make your pushup workouts even more challenging, there are a few things you can do. You can increase the number of reps or add weight to the exercise. You can also try slowing down the movement to emphasize the eccentric (lowering) phase of the exercise. Finally, you can try pausing at the top and bottom of each rep to really engage your core and other stabilizing muscles.
Conclusion
Pushups are an incredibly effective exercise for building strength and toning multiple muscle groups in your body. When done correctly, they can help to improve posture, balance, and coordination. Plus, they’re easy to modify to fit your skill level. By mixing up your pushup routine with different variations, you can maximize your workouts and challenge yourself to become stronger. So what do pushups work out? As you now know, they work out your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core—and that’s just the beginning.
Summary
In this article, we explored what do pushups work out and how to do them correctly. We discussed the benefits of pushup variations, how to maximize your pushup workouts, and tips for making pushups more challenging. Pushups are a great way to build strength in your upper body, core, and more. So next time you’re looking for a full-body workout, give pushups a try!
Final Thoughts on Pushups
Pushups are an incredibly effective exercise for building strength and toning multiple muscle groups in your body. By mixing up your pushup routine with different variations, you can challenge yourself to become stronger and maximize your workouts. What do pushups work out? As you now know, they work out your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core—and that’s just the beginning.
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