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Push-ups are a bodyweight strength exercise that is key to developing upper body muscles. Regular push-ups not only increase your stamina and strengthen certain muscle groups, but also helps to tone the whole body.

Do you want to learn how to do push-ups, look for a ready-made scheme and the correct push-up technique? Or just want to know about the effectiveness of this exercise? We offer you the most complete guide to push-ups in one article, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to learn push-ups from scratch.

Push-ups: how to do it right

The push-up is the most popular bodyweight exercise. It is used not only in strength training, but also in plyometric classes, crossfit, pilates, callanetics and even yoga. And such push-up versatility easily explained. Push-ups help to engage all muscle groups from the neck to the toes, and in particular strengthen the pectoral muscles, shoulder girdle, triceps and abs.

There are many different types of push-ups, but before moving on to more complex modifications of this exercise, let's understand the technique for performing classic push-ups. The correct form of exercises is not only the maximum result and high-quality muscle work, but also reduced risk of injury and damage during lessons.

Correct technique during classic push-ups from the floor:

• The body forms a straight line, the pelvis does not go up and does not bend down.
• The abdominal muscles are tense, but the breath is not held.
• The head is in a neutral position, does not look down, but does not lift up either.
• The palms are strictly under the shoulders, do not go forward.
• Palms look forward, parallel to each other.
• The elbows are turned back 45 degrees, they are not spaced to the side.
• While inhaling, we bend our elbows and lower the body parallel to the floor, keeping a straight line of the body.
• Push-ups from the floor are performed with full amplitude, i.e. the body is lowered as low as possible. Elbows should form a right angle.

It is this technique of classic push-ups that helps to evenly work out the muscles of the shoulders, chest and triceps.

Push-ups from the floor involve several muscle groups at once. This exercise allows you to work out all the muscles of the shoulder girdle and the small stabilizing muscles of the shoulder. Also push-ups from the floor and from the knees develop strength and elasticity of the muscles of the shoulders, which is especially important because the shoulder joint is extremely unstable and prone to displacement and injury.

Push-ups from the floor help to work out the following muscle groups:

• pectoralis major muscle
• Deltoids (shoulders)
• Triceps
• Serratus anterior
• Abdominal muscles

In addition, during push-ups, the muscles of the legs, buttocks and back are indirectly included in the work. Also push-ups increase functional strength necessary to perform regularly performed actions (lifting and moving objects, cleaning the house, holding the child in her arms).

The main mistakes in the technique of classic push-ups from the floor

Push-ups from the floor is not such a simple exercise as it seems at first glance. Mistakes in execution technique are made not only by those involved, but even by coaches! Incorrect performance of push-ups is fraught with injuries to the wrists, shoulder and elbow joints, as well as pain in the neck, back and lower back. If you can't keep the correct form when pushing up from the floor, kneel down or reduce the number of repetitions! Teach yourself to do this exercise correctly from the very first performance.

The most common mistake in push-up technique is the position of the elbows relative to the body. The outstretched elbows help to compensate for the lack of upper body muscle strength. Of course, you can also perform this version of push-ups. (which many do). But the problem is that this way of doing it increases risk of shoulder and elbow injuries. Therefore, it is better to pay attention to the position of the elbows: they should be turned back 45 degrees, and not look in different directions.

In classic push-ups, the hands should be strictly under the shoulders. Some practitioners practice push-ups with a wide stance, but this is a weaker position in which your muscles do not work well enough. Also, wide-arm push-ups can cause shoulder pain over time.

During push-ups, the body should form a straight line. But if you have a weak core, then there is a risk of breaking the push-up technique: lifting the buttocks up or, conversely, bending the lower back and lowering the hips to the floor. Incorrect body position extra load on the spine. To avoid this mistake, start practicing the plank exercise - this will help strengthen the muscle corset. We recommend reading: Plank - benefits and harms, 45 plank options + training plan.

A very common mistake in the push-up technique is to perform an exercise with incomplete amplitude, namely, insufficient lowering of the body down. Naturally, at first, it will be difficult for you to perform push-ups with a full range, but accustom yourself from the very beginning of practice. lower the body to a right angle at the elbow.

For example, let's visually compare the correct and incorrect push-ups.

1. Correct classic push-up:

The body forms a straight line, the pelvis does not rise up, the lower back does not bend. When push-ups, the body falls low, the elbows are close enough to the body, the palms are under the shoulders.

2. Correct push-ups from the knees (a simplified version of the classic push-ups):

Similarly, the body forms a straight line, there are no deflections and bends in the back. Pay attention to the correct position of the palms relative to the shoulders.

3. Push-up with an error:

The pelvis is lowered down, the lower back is curved, the straight line of the body is broken. This exercise can cause back pain and even injury.

4. Push-up with an error:

In this picture, we see insufficient lowering of the body down, the elbows are barely bent. It is better to do 5 quality push-ups than 15-20 low-quality ones where the arms do not form a right angle.

Thanks to the youtube channel for the visual gifs Lais DeLeon.

Push-ups: benefits, harms and contraindications

Like any other exercise, push-ups have a number of advantages and disadvantages, as well as contraindications for execution. This is a great strength training exercise for developing muscles, but if done incorrectly or with weak joints, it can have adverse health effects .

Benefits of doing push-ups:

1. Push-ups are the best exercise for strengthening chest muscles with your own body weight. If you want to work on your pectoral muscles, then push-ups should definitely be included in your training plan.

2. The push-up is a multi-purpose exercise that works right away. several muscle groups . In addition to the chest, you will strengthen the muscles of the triceps, shoulders and core. Push-ups also work your back, legs, and glutes, providing a complete body workout.

3. To perform push-ups, you will not need additional equipment. Also, you can do this exercise both at home and on the street. Are you on vacation? Don't have access to the gym? No problem, push-ups can be done anywhere you find a small square of space.

4. Push-ups Help Strengthen muscle corset . Not only will this get you closer to a 6-pack abs, it will also help prevent back pain and improve your posture.

5. Push-ups from the floor - very variation exercise. A wide stance engages the shoulder muscles, while a narrow stance engages the triceps. You can perfectly train your upper body using only your own weight.

6. The ability to do push-ups correctly will come in handy not only in strength training, but also in yoga, Pilates, callanetics, plyometric programs. Push-ups are one of main exercises with your own body weight.

7. Push-ups develop muscle strength and elasticity shoulders. Subject to the correct technique, this is the prevention of injuries of the shoulder joints, which are most vulnerable to those involved.

8. Large quantity modifications (From the easiest to the hardest) makes push-ups a versatile exercise that is suitable for both beginners and advanced. This means you will always have a productive workout, regardless of strength or experience level.

Harm of push-ups and contraindications for classes

Despite the many benefits and benefits of push-ups for body development and improving strength training, push-ups can cause harm to your body. During push-ups, the joints of the shoulders, elbows, and wrists are included in the work, so if you have a history of injuries or joint problems, then push-ups should not be performed. Injury to the joints while doing push-ups is not uncommon, especially if you do not follow the correct technique.

Contraindications for doing push-ups:

• Arthrosis, arthritis and other joint problems
• Shoulder, arm, wrist injuries
• Problems with the spine
• Lumbar lordosis
• Big extra weight

Be sure to follow the correct technique when doing push-ups. Recommended always stretch your hands, elbows and shoulders before doing push-ups, performing circular movements with hands in one direction and the other.

10 push-up features you need to know about

1. The closer you put your hands while doing push-ups, the more the triceps work. The farther you place, the more shoulders are included in the work.

2. If you want to make push-ups easier, then rest your hands on the bench or kneel.

3. If you want the opposite, make pushups harder, then place your feet on a bench or other elevated position. Moreover, the higher the legs are, the more difficult it will be to do push-ups.

4. To increase the amplitude and increase the effectiveness of push-ups, you can perform them on special racks: push-up pads. In this case, the body will sink lower, and the muscles will work even harder.

5. Push-ups not only allow you to thoroughly pump the muscles of the chest, shoulders and triceps, but also significantly reduce the risk of wrist injuries.

6. If you do not have special stops, then you can do push-ups on dumbbells, this will also help reduce the load on the hands.

7. Before push-ups, try to do gymnastics for the joints of the shoulders, elbows and hands (circular movements of the shoulders, arms and hands).

8. If you have weak wrists, use elastic bands They will reduce stress on the joints. This is especially true if you plan to do plyometric push-ups (which will be discussed below).

9. To increase muscle mass, try to perform push-ups with a small number of repetitions, using complex modifications or additional weight. But for weight loss, the development of endurance and the development of functional training, you can move towards increasing the number of repetitions.

10. In the standard description of exercises it is allowed make some adjustments , which are due to different anatomical structures and flexibility. Determine the position of the palms that will ensure comfortable push-ups.

How to learn to do push-ups from scratch: a ready-made plan

It's okay if you've never done push-ups before or had a long break from fitness and lost this skill. Everyone can learn to push up from the floor, regardless of gender and age! Of course, you will need regular practice, but push-ups are not as difficult to learn as, for example, pull-ups.

The most important thing to remember if you want to learn how to push up from the floor efficiently and effectively: you must always follow correct execution technique from the very first repetition of the exercise. Even if you start with simple variations of the exercise, remember the correct form and technique.

In order to start push-ups from the floor from scratch, we offer you a step-by-step program for beginners. Thanks to this scheme, everyone can learn push-ups from the floor!

Ready-made scheme, how to learn to do push-ups for beginners

In order to learn how to push up from the floor, you will need to master 3 step push ups . You need to do it daily, you need to perform 3-4 approaches for the maximum number of repetitions in each approach. Perhaps the first attempts will not allow you to wring out more than 5-10 times, but every day you will progress.

If you feel that by the end of the week you have not made the desired progress, then continue with the same modification of push-ups for another week. It is better to move to the next level of difficulty after you can push up 30-40 times without interruption. Do not forget about the correct technique for doing push-ups!

Week 1: Wall push-ups

Wall push-ups are an exercise that everyone can do. These vertical push-ups are a great introductory exercise that will help you further master push-ups from the floor.

Week 2: Knee push-ups

The next level is push-ups from the knees. Please note that even with push-ups from the knees, the body should maintain a straight line, the pelvis should not go up.

Week 3: Bench push-ups

After you have mastered push-ups from the knees, you can move on to push-ups from the bench. Attention, there is a nuance here. The higher the bench, the easier it will be for you to do push-ups. Therefore, you can change the height of the surface, thereby slowly preparing yourself for push-ups from the floor.

Week 4: Push-ups from the floor

After three weeks of regular push-ups, your body will be ready for floor push-ups. Remember that it is better to do fewer repetitions, but with full amplitude (elbows should be bent 90 degrees).

How many times do you need to do push-ups: ready-made push-up schemes

We emphasize once again that you should never chase quantity, neglecting quality. In addition, it is not always necessary to strive for an increase in the number of repetitions. How many times you need to do push-ups depends on your goals.

So there are several possible situations:

1. If you want pump up and increase muscle mass in volumes, then move towards weight gain and difficulty. For example, use barbell discs or raise your legs on a bench. Training scheme: 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets.

2. If you want lose weight and get relief, then move towards increasing the number of repetitions. Do 15-25 reps for 5 sets. You can increase the total number of push-ups weekly or move on to more complex modifications.

3. If you want develop endurance and functional strength, then also move towards increasing the number of repetitions and choose more complex modifications of push-ups on the floor, including plyometric ones.

An example of a ready-made push-up scheme for increasing endurance and losing weight:

Push-ups provide a huge scope for imagination in terms of inventing new variations of this exercise. You can put your arms a little wider or a little narrower, shift your body weight forward or back, add dynamic footwork and much more! This allows not only to "get" any area of ​​the chest and triceps, but also to wake up many other muscles!

It is widely believed that push-ups are a fairly simple exercise that cannot bring either special strength or mass, unless endurance and relief will pump. However, this is a misconception, and although I don’t know where it came from, in my article I will try to convince you that push-ups are really a great exercise if you do it with your head!

What does it mean? This means that you should not mindlessly monotonously do repetition after repetition, thinking about something of your own and dreaming when it will end. Vice versa! You need to fully focus on the work of the muscles and feel how they tighten during each repetition! Do repetitions consciously and slowly - this will not only greatly complicate the exercise, but also give an explosive effect to strength and mass!

As I wrote earlier - there is a huge variety of push-ups that allow you to use a variety of muscles. Below, I present a push-up rating (they are ranked by difficulty level), which (if my memory serves me right) was first published in Men's Health a few years ago.

Pushups

Difficulty level: Below average

Advantages: First of all, this version of push-ups stimulates the middle chest area. At the same time, the top and bottom of the pectoralis major, deltas, and triceps work to a lesser extent. All back muscles are statically tense.

Performance: Take the position of emphasis on straight arms. Do not lift your head or lower it down. Keep it strictly on the line of the spine. Spread your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. First, lower yourself to the bottom position, and then with a powerful effort squeeze yourself into straight arms. In the upper position, statically tighten the pectoral muscles at the expense of "one-two". Only then lower yourself to the floor. Do not straighten your elbows to the stop! Leave them slightly bent. Keep your abs tight. Don't let your belly sag!

Push-ups from a hill

Difficulty level: Low

Advantages: When the body assumes a tilted position and your head is well above your feet, the emphasis shifts to the lower pectoral area. Because this variation takes on more of your weight than regular push-ups, it feels less challenging.

Performance: Place a bench in front of you and rest your hands on its edge a little wider than your shoulders. Bend your arms and lower yourself down until your chest lightly touches the edge of the seat. Powerfully push yourself up.

Push-ups with legs on a hill

Level: Intermediate

Advantages: This option shifts the focus to the upper region of the pectoral muscles. The exercise is difficult, since the arms here account for most of the body weight.

Performance: This is exactly the same movement as regular push-ups, with the difference that your socks do not rest on the floor, but on the surface of the bench. The hands should be placed slightly in front of the shoulder line. This will not affect efficiency in any way, but it will help balance in the starting position.

Push-ups from the knees

Difficulty level: Low

Advantages: This option is for the case when there is no longer any strength, and there are more than a dozen push-ups in the plan. You can use push-ups from the knees for a complete "squeeze" of the chest, after you reach the "failure" in regular push-ups.

Performance: Take the position of emphasis on straight arms. Place something soft under your knees, such as a gym mat. Keep your back extremely straight. Do not lift the pelvis up - the torso, together with the hips, forms a straight line.

Diamond push ups

Level: Intermediate

Advantages: This movement, similar to the close-grip bench press, puts emphasis on the inner region of the pectoral muscles.

Performance: Take the position of emphasis on straight arms, placing the brushes so that the thumbs and forefingers touch each other (as in the photo). First, slowly lower yourself to the bottom position, and then push yourself up with a powerful effort. At the top, statically tighten your triceps for a count of "one-two" and only then lower yourself to the bottom position. This technique will increase the payload on the triceps.

Push-ups with wide arms

Level: Intermediate

Advantages: By spreading your arms wider, as with a wide-grip bench press, you thereby remove some of the load from the triceps and increase the load on the chest.

Performance: Turn your hands outward at a 45-degree angle so as not to overload the muscles that rotate the shoulder, and spread them as wide as possible. The lower you go, the better. The same movement can be performed on supports, as well as head up and head down. These options are for experienced jocks who are concerned about the nuances of form.

Plyometric push-ups

Difficulty level: Above average

Advantages: The goal of any plyometric exercise is not so much to increase muscle mass or endurance, but to develop their explosive strength; a fast and powerful reaction mobilizes the nervous system and involves more muscle fibers in the work. It is very useful for bodybuilders. Such a load stimulates the nervous innervation. Simply put, the nervous network becomes thicker and denser. This responds with an increase in mass when performing basic exercises with weight.

Performance: The starting position is the same as with regular push-ups. Quickly lower yourself down, then with a powerful jerk, lift yourself up so that your hands are off the floor. "Land" on your hands and at a pace repeat the movement again. "Advanced" option: at the top, clap your hands.

Push-ups with a jump

Difficulty level: High

Advantages: A variant of the plyometric push-up, develops explosive strength and coordination.

Performance: To avoid hurting your hands or wrists, perform this movement on some soft, springy surface. In the starting position, rest your palms on two supports 15-20 cm high. Pushing up, push off from the supports and "land" on the floor between them. The brushes should be at the width characteristic of ordinary push-ups. Immediately bend your elbows and gently lower your chest to the floor. From the bottom position, explosively push yourself up and "jump" back onto the supports. The secret is not to divide the movement into phases and perform in one breath.

Push-ups on one arm

Difficulty level: High

Advantages: This circus version is great for building shoulder strength. It acts on the pectoral muscle, as they say, from top to bottom. Along the way, the triceps are extremely heavily loaded.

Performance: First, take the usual starting position for push-ups, then move one leg to the side. Shift your body weight to the opposite hand and place the other hand behind the belt. When you learn how to confidently balance, start push-ups. They may not come out right away. Then start small - go down 10-15 cm, not deeper. As soon as you confidently master this "depth", try to go lower - another 5-10 cm.

And these are only the most basic push-up options that are known to very many. Along with these, there are a couple of dozen different types in Workout training, but I will write about them in another article!

With this workout of 17 push-ups to failure, you can test your endurance and build your chest, triceps and shoulders.

Are your pecs, shoulders lagging behind, or maybe your triceps need a serious shake-up to make them grow?

Or perhaps you'd like to improve their shape and size while revving up your metabolism to the max while reducing your fat percentage to the single digits? Do you want to know what types of push-ups are for different muscle groups?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then the program and methodology below may be just what you need.

The described training is difficult and will require you to the utmost physical strength, but in the end, every drop of sweat will be worth it.

Before the high-intensity training methodology () came to the rescue of the legions of desperate jocks who spent countless hours exercising at a slow pace and low intensity, and brought them the desired relief from fat while maintaining muscle mass, for many, the attempt to maintain this balance ended in metabolic collapse and deplorable results.

Now, by combining short ultra-intense sets with short periods of rest and/or active recovery over a span of 15-20 minutes, aspiring athletes can achieve phenomenal results in both maintaining muscle mass and quickly losing weight. And while cardio often plays a major role when it comes to getting rid of fat, for many it does not give the desired effect when it comes to quality muscle volume.

If you perform a rapid series of strength exercises for different muscle groups to failure one after another, interspersed with rest just enough to recover for the next set, the muscles are forced to work with greater efficiency, more blood is supplied to the target muscle groups, and the metabolism receives the strongest boost. for overclocking. With a reasonable application of this approach, you will certainly achieve a leaner and more muscular body.

The following workout uses the principles of HIIT primarily to target the chest/shoulders/triceps.

Try it. Get used to it. Use wisely, and your chest will have no choice but to get stronger.

Video - types of push-ups and their functions

We have already considered the topic in detail, now it is time to use the correct technique for pumping muscles.

Training program

Types of push-ups	Approaches	repetitions
1. With cotton	1	To failure
	1	To failure
3. With weight transfer to one hand	1	To failure
4. On an incline with a reverse grip	1	To failure
5. Weighted	1	To failure
	1	To failure
7. Push-ups "Spiderman" (Spiderman)	1	To failure
8. On a negative slope	1	To failure
9. Cross lift	1	To failure
	1	To failure
11. With a pause	1	To failure
12. With a wave of the hand up	1	To failure
13. On fists	1	To failure
14. With a deflection in the lower back	1	To failure
15. On an incline with a wide grip	1	To failure
16. On one leg	1	To failure
17. Close grip	1	To failure

• Do different types of push-ups as one giant set with 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes rest between each exercise (depending on your skill and recovery speed).
• Each exercise should be performed for as many repetitions as you can (AMRAP). Twenty repetitions per set will mean that you have excellent endurance.
• This workout is designed for those who have at least a year of good training preparation.
• If you are not so experienced yet (or just starting), it is better to modify the workout for safety reasons. If you are a beginner, you should reduce the number of repetitions, remove some movements and / or increase the rest time between sets.
• Always start with a warm up.

1. Explosive push-ups with cotton

These types of movements help develop explosive strength in the arms, chest and shoulders, it concentrates on fast muscle fibers, the development of which will give you an impressive increase in volume.

In order to perform this movement, you need to add some elements to the regular push-up.

A plyometric (explosive) pushup means you need to accelerate in the eccentric phase (the negative phase of the movement, that is, when moving down). Don't pause at the bottom. Instead, move from the eccentric phase to the concentric phase as quickly as possible, that is, try to push the body up as quickly as possible so that at the end of the movement you gain maximum speed and have time to clap your hands. Instead of stopping at the end, speed up, get your hands off the ground, and clap. Land in the starting position and, while maintaining control, continue the exercise.

2. Push-ups with legs on a fitball

3. Push-ups with weight transfer to one hand

In this version of the push-up, one hand has to stabilize the body while you bring the other hand under the worker. Thus, you need to maintain balance and not let your shoulder twist.

To perform it, take a standard lying emphasis; do one rep, lift your hand off the ground and move it behind the opposite (reference), touch the ground and return to its place. Complete one rep and do the same for the other side. Continue until you reach the desired number of repetitions. The number of repetitions for this movement can be reduced due to its complexity.

4. Push-ups on an inclined surface with a reverse grip

This exercise is performed in a prone position, but the inside of the arm should be facing forward, this variation works more muscles compared to the usual one. Together with the chest, the shoulders, arms, legs, muscles of the body and upper back are included in the work.

To perform it, grasp the crossbar, the body should be tilted at an angle of about 45 degrees to the surface, the socks rest against the floor. Grasp the reverse grip, slowly lower the body to the crossbar and push up.

5. Push-ups with weights

This is an advanced version of the regular push-up that has been around for a long time. Weighted push-ups engage the same muscles, but load them harder. With the addition of weight, this movement mimics the traditional bench press better than simple push-ups. In addition, since the weight must be kept in balance, more stabilizer muscles are used to perform this movement.

Take a standard lying position and have your partner place a barbell pancake on your back. Trying to maintain balance, perform a regular push-up.

6. Push-ups with a shift to the side

This movement, which requires more coordination and flexibility than simple push-ups, engages the outer and inner side of the pectoral muscles, and also loads the muscles of the core.

To perform, take the standard lying position, but put your hands a little closer to each other, and your legs are wider. Do a push up. Then spread your arms wider and bring your legs together. Do a second push up. Alternate until you complete the desired number of times.

7. Push-ups "Spiderman" ("Spiderman")

In addition to working the key push-up muscles, this movement also improves the flexibility and mobility of the pelvis, and promotes good posture and mobility of the whole body.

To do this, do a normal push-up from a standard prone position, but spread your elbows a little on the way down. When the body is lowered to the ground, pull the right knee to the right elbow, straighten and rise to the starting position lying down. Repeat for the other side. Change sides for the desired number of repetitions.

8. Push-ups on the surface with a negative slope (with feet against the wall)

Decline surface push-ups focus on the upper pecs to work this stubborn area. This movement can be difficult at first, but as you master it, you will appreciate how well it loads the upper body (since the legs are not involved in the work).

To perform, rest your feet against the wall, the body should be at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground. Lower your body until your forehead touches the floor. Push up.

9. Push-ups with cross lifting (arm / leg)

This movement is even more demanding on the stabilizing muscles of the core, as the arm and opposite leg lift off the ground at the same time. It must be performed slowly, with perfect plank technique.

To perform, do a regular push-up, but on the upward movement, stretch your left arm forward, while simultaneously stretching back and up your right leg. Lower your arms and leg to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side. Switch sides and complete the required number of repetitions.

10. Push-ups with a touch of the shoulder

This movement engages the muscles of your entire upper body while also forcing your core muscles to stabilize you at the top of each rep.

To perform, assume a standard push-up position, push up once, then hold your torso in a lying position with your arms fully extended. Stretch your hand across the body and touch the opposite shoulder; do the next repetition. Change sides the desired number of times.

11. Push-ups with a pause

By pausing at the bottom of a standard push-up, you thwart the spring reflex (the tendency for the muscles to return to a neutral state) that would otherwise help you on your way up.

To perform, do a standard push-up, but instead of immediately pushing your body up from the bottom point, hold down for two full seconds. Then explosively return to the starting position.

12. Push-ups with a wave of the arm up

This movement develops the rotational strength of the core muscles while working the pecs, shoulders and arms one side at a time.

To perform, start with the body lowered to the ground, as in a simple push-up. Explosively lift your body onto your outstretched arms, but instead of stopping, let one arm lift off the floor. Raise that arm toward the ceiling, turning your torso fully toward it. Keeping your entire body straight, roll onto the side of your foot as you rep. Repeat the same for the other side and perform the desired number of times, and preferably to failure.

13. Push-ups on fists

This movement is a great way to avoid the wrist crease that happens to some degree with all other push-up variations (instead of the base of the hands, the stress is on the fists).

To perform, take the standard position for push-ups, but rest on the floor not with open palms, but with fists. Push up in this position.

14. Push-ups with a deflection in the lower back

The backbend push-up (or Chaturanga Dandasana) requires more effort for combined body movements than other variations. In particular, with each repetition, you need to use the pelvis and the entire shoulder girdle. It also improves the mobility of the thoracic spine.

To perform, take a standard lying position, lower the body completely down so that the pelvis touches the floor, push up and transfer the body weight to the heels. Push your pelvis up as high as possible, extending your arms so that your chest is fully extended, hold this position for a second, then repeat.

15. Incline push-ups with a wide grip

This movement is a great way to engage all the large pectoral muscles with a focus on the lower part. In addition, due to the wide grip, more load is placed on the chest and less on the shoulders and triceps.

To perform, rest against the bar on the Smith machine so that the body is at a 45 degree angle, as wide as you can, remembering to control the movement of the body in all phases. Slowly lower yourself and explosively return to the starting position.

16. Push-ups on one leg

This is a great way to work your stabilizer muscles while engaging your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.

To perform, take a standard lying position, rest one foot on the floor and lift the other up. For the first repetition, hold one leg on the weight, for the next change to the other, repeat.

Remember to keep your glutes and core tight so that your body doesn't wobble from side to side on each rep.

17. Push-ups with a narrow grip

This movement is an effective way to work the triceps to increase their strength and volume. Compared to wide-grip push-ups, it suggests that the body be as compact as possible. Keep your elbows close to your body and your shoulders tense.

In the process of push-ups, it is possible to shift the emphasis on those muscle groups that you want to use (triceps, shoulders, chest - read about this later) - to emphasize the load, you need to redistribute the load.

A feature of push-ups is that the activation of the muscles occurs immediately after taking the starting position. Regular push-ups help build strength and increase endurance. Some other benefits of push-ups should be noted:

• the respiratory and circulatory systems are strengthened;
• metabolic processes improve;
• the immune forces of the body increase.

Article author:

coach Anton Muraviev Write

A professional in his field. Qualified trainer. Winner and prize-winner of regional and city competitions. Diploma of higher sports education. I am a fitness specialist. I have been involved in martial arts and fitness for over 15 years.

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In this article, we have collected the best and most popular types of push-ups that exist today. Push-ups are considered one of the top and most popular exercises, and for good reason. This is one of the best complex exercises. Push-ups work just about every muscle in your upper body, from the chest, back, triceps, shoulders, and biceps to every muscle group in your core, quads, and even your glutes.

The exercise is aimed at developing strength, a sense of balance, increases testosterone levels, which means an increase in muscle potential and a decrease in the risk of osteoporosis.

Many women may be intimidated by the mention of testosterone and the rapid increase in muscle mass., but you should not worry, as this will be a natural and gradual increase in its level, which will not cause excessive and uncontrolled muscle growth.

Although push-ups may seem like a purely male exercise at first glance, there is no research to prove that women are not able to do push-ups as well as men. This implies the conclusion that there is no doubt when it comes to mastering the basics of this simple exercise.

So, what are the types of push-ups? With that said, let's take a look at the different types of push-ups that you can do to get to the full push-up.

30 push up variations from beginner to advanced

16 Different Types of Push Ups

These variations of the exercise are suitable for beginners and also for those who have recently suffered an injury.

10 most effective types of push-ups

But first, we will learn how to properly perform push-ups, and more specifically, we will consider the technique of performing the exercise.

Push-ups from the floor for fighters! Strengthening the striking surface of the hand

What does it mean to push right?

There are several specific rules regarding how to properly and effectively do push-ups. They must be taken into account when performing the exercise, regardless of what level of physical fitness you are at. The methods of push-ups from the floor are varied and interesting in their own way, but without the right technique you will not get far.

1. Don't let your body sag

A tired person will often start to lower their hips as they approach the floor, which means they release tension from the core muscles, making movement easier.

This so-called tool or trick to make your work easier leads to an excessive load on the back muscles and hip flexors, as a result, you develop less strength.

Instead, try to engage different core muscle groups throughout the movement.

2. Don't Spread Your Elbows Too Wide

There is a picture in front of your eyes - a chicken flaps its wings - don't do it. This creates additional stress on the shoulder joints.

Instead of spreading your elbows out to the sides or directing them directly towards your legs, find a neutral position for them, that is, somewhere in the middle.

3. Try to complete the exercise to the end

In other words, during each push-up, go as low as possible to the floor so that your shirt touches the ground.

4. Put your hands right

Very often people put their hands very high, somewhere in the line of the head, or too wide, which works out the wrong muscles at all. Hands should be slightly higher and wider than the shoulders, but no more.

Always keep this in mind and let's get started on mastering and perfecting push-ups, one of the best bodyweight exercises you could ever do.

What types of push-ups are suitable for beginners, and which ones should be skipped by professionals? We have compiled a list of push-up variations that are suitable for both absolute beginners and sports gurus.

Important note: in this collection you will not find push-ups from the knees. This is only because this type of push-up will not lead you to a full push-up, since the muscles of the core and buttocks are worked out insignificantly with this type of push-up.

Types of push-ups from the floor and not only: top 10

This program is designed for 10 weeks, but you can change it for yourself. Each exercise should be performed in 3 sets of 10-15 reps. 2-3 times a week training is required before moving on to the next type of exercise.

1. Wall / table push-ups

This variation of push-ups is most suitable for beginners, as the vertical surface allows you to adjust the complexity of the exercise, develop strength and improve your physical form.

If you have mastered wall push-ups, then move on to table or chair push-ups, they are more difficult, since the angle of inclination is less.

• To push yourself off the wall, put your hands on the wall, put your feet as far back as you feel comfortable.
• Hands should be slightly below the shoulders. Lean against the wall and don't forget to tighten your core muscles as you do this.
• Push back against the wall and return to the starting position, repeat.
• After you complete the recommended number of sets and reps, move on to wall or chair push-ups and perform them in the same way.

2. Negative pushups

Doing just the bottom phase of a push-up can significantly increase your strength, which will help you get to the full push-up faster.

Research has shown that eccentric exercises that focus on contracting muscles during their lengthening or "lowering" phase can make you stronger during the concentric (pushing or contracting) phase.

• Get into a plank position with your feet hip-width apart and your arms in line with your chest.
• Slowly lower yourself to the floor, tighten your core muscles, and keep your body straight throughout the movement.
• Push off the floor and return to the starting position. (you can focus on your knees if it's hard)

3. Traditional push-ups

When you start to get negative push-ups, then it's time to move on to the full push-up.

• Start in a plank position, feet hip-width apart, arms in line with your chest.
• Lower yourself until your chest touches the floor, then push back, keeping your core tensed and your body straight from head to toe.

Advanced Push Up Variations

Have you perfected your push-up technique and now you want something more? Complicated types of push-ups are up to you? Different types of push-ups from the floor for an advanced level will force you to give all your best, as they are completely focused on developing explosive strength, speed and endurance.

4. Types of push-ups on a medicine ball

Medicine ball push-ups are great for engaging even more core stability muscles. Studies have shown that compared to regular push-ups, push-ups on the ball engage the muscles of the triceps and chest to an even greater extent.

• Place your hands on the ball shoulder-width apart, feet hip-width apart, that is, the position as in the “plank”, only the body is slightly raised in front.
• Try to keep your balance and body straight, go down and touch the ball with your chest, then push off from it, while keeping your elbows near your sides.
• Repeat.

5. Triceps push-ups

Triceps push-ups are performed in the same technique as regular push-ups, only the arms need to be placed closer to the sides, which will allow you to work out the triceps. This type of push-up requires more stability from the core muscles.

• Start in a plank position with your hands closer than shoulder-width apart to each other.
• The body is straightened, the muscles of the core are tense, lower yourself until your chest touches the floor (do not spread your elbows to the sides!).

6. Diamond push-ups

Diamond push-ups are also great for working the triceps.

• Start in a plank position with your body straight, place your hands together in a diamond shape under your chest, fingers touching.
• Slowly lower yourself without spreading your elbows to the sides.
• Return to starting position and repeat.

7. Incline push-ups

When you do incline push-ups, you place your feet on an incline, bench, or medicine ball, for example, to increase the depth of the push-up. As your strength grows, you can change the angle of the incline.

• Start in a plank position, but place your feet on a medicine ball or bench, which will increase the development of the core muscles.
• Lower your chest to the floor, remembering the correct push-up technique, then return to the starting position and repeat.

8. Push-ups with cotton

Clapping push-ups add explosive plyometric movement to the regular push-up, making this push-up method a great option for a total upper body workout.

• Start in a plank position and do a full push-up, but instead of just reaching up and straightening your arms, use all your upper body strength to push off the floor as hard as you can, clap your hands as your arms leave the ground.
• Regroup and gently lower yourself onto your hands, repeat.

9. Diving push-ups

The technique for doing this type of push-up may, at first glance, seem like a simple sequence of yoga poses, but, in fact, this is one of the most difficult and effective types of push-ups, which is aimed at developing the muscles of the upper body and increasing flexibility and balance.

• Start in the downward facing dog yoga pose, with your hands on the floor a little more than shoulder-width apart, buttocks as high as possible. Reminds me of a triangle.
• Keeping your legs straight, perform a smooth “dive” with your chest down almost to the floor. Then slowly begin to rise up, straighten your arms and arch your back. The hips are on the floor, the face is looking up.
• Now move in the opposite direction to return to the starting position and repeat again.

10. Push-ups on one arm

Without a doubt, this version of push-ups is the most difficult, since in order to maintain balance and do push-ups on one arm, you must have strong arms and core muscles.

• Start in a plank position with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart.
• Place one hand behind, tighten the muscles of the core while lowering the chest to the floor, keep the elbow of the working hand as close to the sides as possible.
• Push back and take the starting position. During the next approach, change hands.

Different types and ways of push-ups are great!

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro doing one-arm push-ups like this type of push-up is about to go out of fashion, know that with every rep you build a highly effective base for any other exercise you decide to do.

19 types of push-ups from the floor for beginners

Long live push-ups around the world!