If you don't know how to do push-ups. How to do push-ups correctly: technique, principles, benefits for the body. Basic push-up technique

To learn how to do push-ups and become the owner of an excellent figure, you don’t have to buy a gym membership. However any strength training requires a systematic approach and proper technique.

It is enough to learn a few rules on how to do push-ups correctly at home, study some technical points, watch a thematic video and start practicing without delay. Before you start training and learn how to do push-ups, you should carefully examine your body, feel the chest muscles.

To do this, you need to take a straight body position, touch your chest with the front side of your palm, and then try to slowly move your hand forward, as if pushing it away from you and straining your chest muscles. Do a few repetitions, feeling your chest muscles engage. Place your other hand on your chest and feel the tension. Start your first attempts at push-ups carry out from your knees, including full muscle control.

Push-up technique

In order to understand how to do push-ups correctly, remember a few principles and apply them during your training:

  • systems approach;
  • correct execution technique;
  • increase in loads.

Let's look at each principle separately. These simple tips will help you learn push-ups from scratch and easily move on to intense strength training.


How to pump up your pectoral muscles at home?

The push-up process is very similar in nature to the bench press, but with opposite amplitude. The push-up uses a similar group of muscles as the bench press.

Therefore, if you are interested in the question of how to pump up your pectoral muscles at home, carefully read the material below.

Of course, you will not have the opportunity to add additional weight, as is the case with a barbell. However using the right technique, as well as more complicated types of push-ups, will help you pump up your pectoral muscles at home quite quickly and at no extra cost.

First of all, understand: you don't need to strive for daily training - you need time for muscle recovery. Also a common mistake of many athletes is the belief that an increased pace will help pump up the chest. Don't try to do everything quickly - try to do right: Bending and straightening your arms, control the rise and fall of your body. Do not hold your breath under any circumstances; breathe regularly and rhythmically.

Many people stop exercising because of pain in their elbows. This happens when a person turns off his elbows at the highest point of the lift, fully straightening his arms. The upper position should fix the arms almost straight, and when lowering, they should not be spread too wide.

How can a girl learn to do push-ups?

  1. Push-ups help burn excess fat.
  2. Push-ups from the floor with straight legs or from the knees help to work the muscles of the shoulder girdle and improve the shape of the chest.
  3. Push-ups are good for the abs, which provides an excellent stimulus for every girl.

In order to learn how to do push-ups, a girl does not have to start with the classics. You can also try do a wall press, it is much easier and, nevertheless, just as effective.

  1. To perform it correctly, you need to stand 1-1.5 steps from the wall and rest your hands on it.
  2. Start moving slowly towards the wall and then back, feeling the muscles in your arms working. Wider palm placement will help you increase the load.
  3. The first set can consist of 10-20 repetitions, and then with each subsequent approach, add 10 repetitions.
  4. When you feel that you have already worked the wall press enough, move on to push-ups from the floor from your knees, and then to the usual classics.

How to do push-ups on parallel bars?


Muscles used during dips

Exercises on the uneven bars are very useful for those who want pump up your shoulders, work out your triceps and chest muscles. When starting classes, take your starting position on the uneven bars, rise up, straightening your arms. Keep your legs bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet slightly crossed. Starting at the highest point, lean your body forward slightly, inhale and slowly lower yourself, bending your elbows. Then quickly rise and exhale, and so on the required number of times.

Some people have hated push-ups ever since they were in school gym class. Indeed, how could it be otherwise if neither the technique of performing the exercise nor the principles of muscle function were explained to you. Let's fill the gap in knowledge and find out how, say, a representative of the fair sex can learn to do push-ups from scratch. After all, usually any guy is able to perform several repetitions, albeit not always correctly. But how can a girl learn to do push-ups?

What muscles work

First, let's look at how our body behaves when you do push-ups.

Starting position – lying down. Your weight is distributed between your hands (you stand on your palms) and your toes. The rest of the body is stretched out like a string and, as they say, hangs in the air.

So, you stand on your palms and toes. The torso is maintained in a straight position due to the work of the core muscles and almost all other muscles of the body, which in this case play the role of stabilizers.

Then the following may happen - the pelvis will begin to fall down, and accordingly, you will bend in the lower back towards the floor. In order to somehow correct the situation, you will try to raise your pelvis towards the ceiling, and in the end you will bend in the other direction. Again, instead of a straight line, your body will be an angle. This is mistake. There should be no downward or upward bending.

Weak or untrained core muscles will prevent you from standing upright. It is unlikely that a person with a complete lack of physical training will immediately learn to do push-ups correctly. Hence the first conclusion - your body must have some muscle tone. It would be a good idea to pump up your abs and strengthen your back muscles.

By changing the position of your hands, you can use each of these muscle groups to varying degrees.

  • Spread your palms wider and spread your elbows to the sides - transfer the emphasis of the load to the pectoral muscles.
  • Place your hands shoulder-width apart and press your elbows close to your body – loading your triceps.

Push-ups are no less important for girls than for men.

But, despite the fact that men are stronger than girls, they are the ones who most often violate the technique and bend down. Girls are more scrupulous in this regard, but they often have problems with weakness of the pectoral muscles and arms.

Given this feature, let's talk about how to do push-ups correctly for girls and beginners. In fact, it's easy, it just doesn't work out the first time. If you're determined to do push-ups, here's a quick guide for beginners.

Push Up Guide

To make learning easier, I will divide everything into several simple steps. Each stage is a huge step towards the result. Using this scheme, anyone can learn to do push-ups in the shortest possible time.

The principle of push-ups for beginners is a gradual transition from simplified versions of the exercise to the classic one.

We get up from our knees

So, you should get into the starting position - take a lying position.

Spread your legs slightly apart, and start by placing your hands shoulder-width apart. Turn your palms with your fingers forward. And here it is, cheating - add your knees as a fulcrum (this is called push-ups from the knees).

If you can easily stand on your knees for 1 minute without bending your body, continue further. If not, practice until standing seems easy.

From the kneeling position you can already begin to do push-ups. Try to gently bend your arms and lower your chest towards the floor. Make sure your body is level. It worked, didn’t you fall? Then straighten your arms.

Learn to do five knee push-ups at a time. After this, you can try to straighten your legs and do one full push-up while lying down. It turned out great! It didn’t work out - we continue to train from the knees up to 10 times. We learned to do it 10 times - we repeat the attempt to straighten the legs.

By the way, this is exactly the version of the exercise that is often meant when talking about push-ups for girls. It is also used in group training, when you need to give a load that everyone without exception can handle.

To learn how to do push-ups in the classic style, you can first move to support on one knee, straightening the other leg. But doing the exercise this way is not very convenient.

Knee push-ups are one of the options for learning how to do push-ups from scratch.

Hands on support

There is another way in which you make the exercise easier for yourself by placing your hands on a support. The gist is this:

  1. Find a stable support 50–70 cm high. This could be a box, a cabinet, or a step platform on stands. The support must be strong.
  2. Place your hands on it as if it were the floor. Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
  3. Lower yourself down, almost touching the support with your chest. Try not to bend your body either up or down.

Do push-ups like this until you can do it easily. Then look for lower support. Gradually you will move to the horizontal version of push-ups.

There really is a difference in the severity of the exercise. The higher the fulcrum for the hands, the less weight you have to lift. And the easier it is for you to keep your body straight - since gravity no longer affects you as much as in a horizontal position. Thus, learning to do push-ups is not difficult.

And, the easiest way for those who have never exercised is wall push-ups. To perform them, you need to stand facing a wall at a distance of about a meter. Lean your body forward and rest your hands on the wall, keeping your back straight. This is the starting position from which you will do push-ups.

Having mastered wall push-ups, move on to the “on your knees” or “hands on a support” option.

How to quickly learn to do push-ups and is it possible to somehow speed up the process? The answer to this question is ambiguous. It all depends on your age, muscle condition, discipline and regularity of training. In other words, the speed of achieving results varies from person to person. Therefore, do not look at others - be consistent and everything will work out.

Consolidation of results

Once you master the first repetitions, you can gradually progress. Your task is to do 10-30 push-ups per set. For girls, 10 is enough.

Break your workout into sets. Do two to three sets of 10 to 30 reps each.

By the way, if you want to gain weight, push-ups will suit you only at the very beginning. For best results, get a gym membership.

Many have already learned how to do push-ups using these methods. Starting with one time, they reached 40, 50 or more repetitions.

Features of a child's learning

To master the exercise, a child will need less time than an adult. But this is provided that you work with it competently and clearly.

If you are wondering how to teach a child to do push-ups, consider his psychology. The peculiarities of children's perception are as follows: the child focuses only on what is interesting to him. If you present the whole process to him as a game, you may have a much better chance of teaching your child push-ups.

You can start this process from the age of 3-4, showing everything by your own example. Children often copy their parents. The fact that they want to be like mom and dad is already a known fact. Show them how to do push-ups, and the children will repeat after you. Your task is to correct their movements in the form of a game.

Correct push-up techniques

Proper technique is important. But it is not the same for every exercise. Since all people are different, often the nuances of a technique have to be selected experimentally. This does not mean that the technique will be completely different for two different people. There will just be some differences.

The technique of different types of push-ups is discussed in detail in this article.

Speaking about how to do push-ups correctly for girls, it’s only worth saying that push-ups for women usually involve working on the triceps. That is, the position of the arms is narrow and the elbows are pressed to the body.

For men, the most popular style is the chest style: palms are placed wide, elbows spread to the sides.

Even wall push-ups need to be done correctly. Focus on the sensations, try to work your chest muscles and triceps. Different hand positions can be safely practiced here.

A little motivation

The strongest motivation is the example of your neighbor. If a girl, for example, does more push-ups than her boyfriend, this is already motivation for the guy! They both end up doing push-ups.

If you want to pump up or strengthen your arms, shoulders, chest, but you can’t go to the gym, here’s a good reason to figure out how to learn to do push-ups.

Set yourself a specific goal for the number of repetitions at a time. The goal will not let you stop or go astray. But without a goal, you will give up training in a week or month.

Use push-up variations for beginners to pre-strengthen your muscles, exercise regularly and with pleasure. In this case, the result will not take long to arrive!

Information on how to do push-ups correctly will be useful to anyone who wants to have pumped up arms and chest. There are several variations of this exercise that differ in the details of the technique and the result. It is important to take into account certain rules to increase the effectiveness of the training.

How to learn to do push-ups from scratch?

There are several rules that relate to the specifics of performing the exercise. It is important to know how to quickly learn how to do push-ups correctly:

  1. Training should begin with a warm-up to prepare the muscles and joints for training, otherwise the risk of injury will increase. You should warm up using dumbbells.
  2. Many people make a mistake that minimizes the benefits of exercise - improper breathing. If you hold your breath, you will experience muscle strain. Remember - exhale at the top and inhale at the bottom.
  3. With insufficient sports training, beginners try to help themselves with push-ups with their backs, performing the movements in jerks. This can ultimately cause the lower back to arch and increase the risk of injury.
  4. The selected number of repetitions should be divided into sets to give the muscles a rest. It is important that the break is no more than 2-3 minutes.

Before you understand how to do push-ups correctly, you should take into account existing contraindications. It is not recommended to train if there are injuries, curvatures of the back or other problems with the spine. Push-ups are prohibited for injuries and inflammation of the joints. Classes should be postponed if chronic diseases or other health problems worsen.

How many push-ups do you need to do per day to get pumped up?

One of the main questions that beginners ask, because they really want to get results as quickly as possible. If you are wondering whether it is possible to do push-ups every day, then the trainers give an affirmative answer to this question, but even doing it every other day, but not skipping it, you can get good results. The first changes will be visible after 2-3 months. When thinking about why you need to do push-ups every day, it should be said that daily exercise will help accelerate the growth of muscle mass. As for repetitions, you need to start with a minimum and increase the number in order to make progress.

How to do push-ups - techniques

Let's start with the classics, that is, with the simplest version of exercises, which is recommended to be included in a workout aimed at working out the upper body. Let's look at how to do push-ups correctly to get results:

  1. Take a lying position, placing your hands under your shoulders, while it is recommended to turn your hands slightly outward.
  2. The body should be upright and tense, resembling a string. It is important that the lower back does not sag and the shoulders do not sag.
  3. The elbows should be in a natural position unless the exercise specifies this.
  4. Let's move directly to the technique of how to do push-ups correctly: slowly lower yourself down, bending your elbows. Remember that the body must be straight. The breasts should not be placed on the floor and should remain suspended.
  5. You should rise a little faster than you went down, but sudden movements should be avoided.
  6. It is not recommended to fully extend your arms to eliminate the risk of injury and maintain stress on the muscles.

Close grip push-ups

If you place your hands closer to each other than with classic push-ups, the main load will fall on the triceps dorsi muscle. You can vary the load by changing the tilt of the body, the position of the arms and using weights. Use the following diagram regarding how to learn to do push-ups correctly:

  1. Take a lying position so that the distance between your hands is less than the width of your shoulders; the possible maximum is connecting your hands to each other. It is recommended to keep your feet together.
  2. Lower yourself down while inhaling and keep your elbows close to your body. After this, return to the IP.

Wide grip push-ups

The wide grip exercise concentrates the main load on the chest and triceps muscles, but other upper body muscles are also worked during the workout. This type of push-up is considered analogous to a bench press. During training, you should know how to properly push up from the floor with a wide grip; the technique is almost identical to the classic version, except that your hands should be placed at a distance wider than your shoulders.

Push-ups on fingers

This type of exercise is popular among athletes because it develops the ligaments and muscles of the forearms, hands and fingers, resulting in a stronger grip. For beginners in the sport, it is not recommended to use finger push-ups, as this can cause injury. You can do push-ups on any number of fingers, even just one. There are instructions on how to properly do push-ups on your fingers:

  1. Take the position while lying down, but you should not touch the floor with your entire palm, but only with your fingers. An important condition is that your arms must be straight.
  2. Inhaling, lower yourself down, trying to bring your chest as close to the floor as possible. Exhaling, return to the original position.

Push-ups

In martial arts, push-ups with fists are often used, which strengthen bones, harden the striking surface of the fists, and contribute to the development of overall strength and endurance. Before you figure out how to do push-ups correctly, it’s worth mentioning one more advantage of focusing on your fists - the range of movements increases compared to the option when the emphasis is on your palms.

  1. Take a lying position, but just lean not on your palms, but on your fists. It is worth considering that you need to touch the floor with the bones of your index and middle fingers. In some people, depending on the structure of the hand, the ring finger may also be involved.
  2. Inhaling, lower yourself down almost to the floor, and as you exhale, forcefully push yourself up.

Dynamic push-ups

This exercise has static and dynamic options, so the second type involves quickly performing push-ups and often with a reduced amplitude. There are different options, for example, with leg tightening. Such exercises develop endurance and require energy expenditure. It remains to figure out how to learn how to do push-ups from scratch correctly:

  1. Take a lying position and perform a regular push-up, but at a fast pace. After this, return to the starting position.
  2. Immediately pull your knee towards your chest and place it in place. Then there is another push-up and pull-up of the other leg.

Reverse push-ups

This type of push-up puts an even load on the back and upper chest. There are different options for performing them: on the floor, with your hands resting on the bench, and also with your arms and legs resting on the bench. The most common is the second version of the exercise. It is important to know how to do push-ups for a guy:

  1. Place your hands on the edge of the bench or other support that is located behind you. Stretch your legs forward and you can bend your knees slightly. You should only press your heels into the floor.
  2. The torso should be straight; rounding the back is prohibited, since the load will go to the abdominal muscles.
  3. Slowly lower yourself down, bending your elbows and moving them back. It is important that the buttocks move strictly in a straight line and do not lean forward.

Push-ups with cotton

This version of the exercise is aimed at developing explosive strength and speed, and only then at increasing muscle volume. Many professional athletes use it in their training. Push-ups with cotton are performed as follows:

  1. Take a lying position, placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Inhaling, lower yourself down, bending your elbows.
  2. With a strong explosive force and exhaling, push your body upward. In flight, you need to have time to clap your palms, not fall and put your hands in place. Do it all over again.

One-arm push-ups

Experienced athletes can do push-ups on one arm to thoroughly work their muscles, since the intensity of the training doubles. In addition, to maintain balance, you will have to engage almost all the muscles of the body. Use the following rules: how to do push-ups on one arm correctly:

  1. Lie down, take one leg to the side and place your hands behind your back, holding it near your lower back. It is important that the body is straight.
  2. While inhaling, perform push-ups, trying to lower your chest almost to the floor. Remember that there should be no arch in the lower back.
  3. Exhaling, return to the starting position.

There are several tricks to simplify the task at the initial stage. For example, keep in mind that the wider your legs are, the easier it will be to maintain balance and the further you can move your working arm. As a result, part of the load will transfer from the triceps to the pectoral muscle. Another trick is that balancing will be easier if you move your pelvis towards your working arm and lift the opposite shoulder slightly.

Dips

If you can’t go to the gym, you can practice on the uneven bars for good results. This is an excellent exercise for working the triceps and pectoral muscles, and also for strengthening the shoulder girdle. There are instructions on how to do push-ups on parallel bars:

  1. Jump onto the bars, straightening your arms completely and keeping your body straight, turning your elbows back.
  2. Inhaling, lower yourself down as far as possible, taking into account the flexibility of your shoulder joints. The minimum is a right angle at the elbows. It is important to keep the elbow joints turned back and pressed to the body.
  3. Exhaling, rise up, straightening your arms. Beginners are advised to fully straighten their arms, while experienced athletes should leave an angle at their elbows so that the load does not shift.

This exercise in its different variations is a great way to make your shoulders and arms stronger and more beautiful. At the same time, push-ups help to form a beautiful posture and waist, strengthen the muscular corset of the body, and promote breast elasticity, which is especially important for girls.

What are the benefits of push-ups?

The basic exercise involves working with your own body weight, so when performing it, several muscle groups and joints are involved at the same time. The benefits of push-ups for women are largely due to effective weight loss: even with crunches (movements for pumping up the abs), a person spends half as many calories as with push-ups. Complex work of the body muscles provides a number of advantages:

  • speeds up metabolism;
  • strengthens abdominal muscles;
  • increases endurance and strength.

After completing 100 repetitions, you will spend 100 kcal, while working out the abdomen with crunches will give only half of this result. This is due to the fact that push-ups involve several muscle groups at once - pectoral, deltoid (on the shoulders), biceps and triceps. The exercise is also useful in that it helps a woman get rid of a lot of problems - it corrects posture, tightens the skin, makes the stomach flatter, using the transverse abdominal muscles, and tightens the breasts. At the same time, systematic exercise is important for weight loss - it is advisable to do push-ups every day.

From the floor

This is a classic and one of the easiest exercise options that even a beginner athlete can learn. Its peculiarity lies in the vertical position of the body. How to do push-ups correctly for girls:

  • stand on your toes and palms, placing your hands wider than your shoulders, keeping your back straight;
  • Without sagging your pelvis to the floor, begin to bend your arms, moving your forearms away from your body by about 45 degrees;
  • Having touched the floor surface with your chest, press yourself up, straightening your elbows.

Push-ups for girls, if performed correctly, force the maximum number of different muscles to work. This involves the upper pectoral, gluteal muscles, triceps and abs. For those girls who start training from scratch, the number of repetitions should be limited - for the first time 10-15 push-ups will be enough. For those women who already have some kind of physical training, the load should be increased by increasing the number of movements or using small weights.

From the wall

This is an excellent option for women who have not previously engaged in fitness with weak arms or those who are returning to training after an injury. This easy technique is absolutely safe for the joints; it allows you to maintain a normal deflection of the lower back and gradually strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, chest and arms. For girls, it’s worth starting to do wall push-ups with 10-20 repetitions, and when such a complex becomes too easy for you, increase the approach by another 10 times. The execution technique looks like this:

  • step back from the wall 1.5 steps, place your palms wide on it;
  • begin to bend your elbows, moving your body towards the wall, then straighten them, pushing off to the starting position;
  • resting your entire foot on the floor and moving slowly, perform 12-15 repetitions.

From my knees

Another female version of the exercise, which is performed as easily as possible, is push-ups from the knees. Using this multi-joint technique, the pectoral, back, and arm and shoulder muscles are strengthened. Doing knee push-ups for women is very simple - the complex is suitable even for little girls and elderly ladies with weakened muscles. How to do simplified push-ups for girls:

  • Rest your palms and knees on the floor, keeping your body straight and your arms level with your shoulders;
  • lifting your feet and shins off the floor, begin to bend your elbows, moving your upper body down, then straighten your arms, returning to the starting position;
  • repeat the movement 20 times.

How to do push-ups correctly for girls

The technique of movement for girls is no different from that for men, however, the weaker sex may be given some concessions. Push-ups for women rarely involve performing the exercise with weights or focusing on the fingers rather than the palms. As a rule, girls prefer to perform the standard version with their arms parallel or slightly wider than their shoulders. In this case, the movements have an average amplitude and low speed. To do push-ups correctly, you need to keep your back straight, and your legs should be placed either at shoulder level, or narrower, while your stomach should be pulled in.

During any training, be sure to monitor your breathing - rise as you exhale, and descend as you inhale. For beginners who are overweight, the norm for repetitions will be 7-8 times, and this number should be increased at each session. Before starting the workout, it is important to warm up the muscles by performing several arm swings, squats, body bends, etc.

How to learn to do push-ups

You can master the exercise technique only through regular training, that is, you need to do push-ups systematically. At the same time, it is important to memorize the correct starting position of the body - arms are straight, at shoulder level or slightly wider, the back is straight without a strong deflection in the lower back, the pelvis is retracted. In addition, when performing movements, you need to keep your abdominal and thigh muscles tense - this will help stabilize the body. When bending your arms, you need to lower your body to the floor as low as possible - this way you will provide sufficient load on the chest, shoulders, triceps, quickly giving them a beautiful shape.

To quickly learn how to do push-ups, it is important to further strengthen your hips, abs and back. To do this, perform exercises aimed at pumping the corresponding types of muscles. The push-up program for girls should be comprehensive, especially if it is aimed at losing weight. To have a toned body, it is important to perform push-ups for girls regularly (at least 3 times a week).

The main mistakes beginners make when performing movements that prevent them from achieving the expected results and making their muscles strong:

  • protrusion of the buttocks upward;
  • sagging abdomen;
  • “dives” to the floor of the head;
  • curvature of the back during push-ups;
  • the inclination of the body is not low enough when bending the elbows (the chest should touch the floor).

From the floor

Learning the technique of performing an exercise can be divided into several stages, which will differ in severity. In this case, you first need to assess the woman’s level of training. So, if you can do push-ups 5 or more times, then you should skip the first 2 points, otherwise, start preparing your body for exercise from the very beginning. It is important for girls to do push-ups correctly; there is a six-step training method for this.

  1. Bending your arms while leaning on the wall. Any untrained person can perform this exercise. Stand opposite the wall, leave your legs a meter back, rest your hands on its surface (they should be parallel to your shoulders). Begin to bend your elbows, moving your body towards the wall, then straighten your arms until the joint is completely straightened. Do push-ups like this 15-20 times. Make sure that not only the upper body is tilted, but also the pelvis and legs - this way the load will be full.
  2. Knee push-ups. When you can do wall push-ups, start learning a more difficult variation of the exercise. Rest your knees and palms on the floor, begin to slowly lower your body down, bending your elbows placed slightly wider than your shoulders. Afterwards, fully straighten your arms, returning to the starting position (you need to raise your entire body, including your pelvis). Do 20 repetitions at a time, making sure to keep your ankles and feet off the floor.
  3. Bench push-ups. The support should not be too high, but not low either (optimally 40-50 cm above floor level). Rest your hands on the object, it’s better to put your feet against the wall so as not to move away. Lower yourself down, almost touching the bench with your chest, then straighten your arms. The legs and palms should be level with the shoulders. Start doing the exercise with 20 repetitions.
  4. Plank. This exercise will help strengthen the muscular corset of the back, abs, buttocks, shoulders and arms, making it easier in the future to perform classic push-ups for girls. Place your palms and toes on the floor, straighten your back so that there is no arch in the lower back or protruding butt. Tightening your entire body, including your stomach and thighs, hold the position for at least 40-60 seconds.
  5. Half push-ups. This is a transitional exercise that helps you practice technique and increase the strength of the muscles necessary for full push-ups. The movement is performed according to the following scheme: your arms are placed point-blank on the floor, your legs are parallel to them, then you need to bend your elbows, moving your body towards the floor, hold for a second in the position where your arms are bent 90 degrees, and return your body to its original position. The optimal number of repetitions is 20.
  6. Pushups. Take the position described in the previous exercise, tense your abs, hips, and back. Push up, lowering your body almost to the floor. Start with 10-15 repetitions, gradually increasing their number.

On the uneven bars

This difficult, traumatic exercise must be learned before attempting it. Dips for girls work the pectoralis major muscle, triceps, upper back and deltoids. When doing push-ups in this way, the load also goes to the ligaments and tendons, shoulder joints, so before performing the movements it is important to warm up the body well and prepare the muscles. Training to strengthen the body of girls before dips should include:

  • push-ups from the floor with a narrow position of the arms (elbows should be pressed to the body and palms should be at chest level), while it is optimal to repeat the exercise 10-15 times in each of 4 approaches;
  • push-ups from a bench with a reverse grip - an alternative to the first method, which strengthens the triceps well (repeat the exercise, lowering the pelvis to the floor as much as possible, 10 times in each of 4 approaches);
  • partial dips, in which you do not go too low to the horizontal bars, and keep your arms parallel to your body (repeat the movement 8 times in each of 3 approaches);
  • push-ups on parallel bars with support, in which you will be supported by holding your ankles (perform the exercise 10 times in a set, of which there can be 4-6).

Video: push-up technique

Many people want to look fit, slim and be in excellent physical shape. But, unfortunately, not everyone wants or can, due to certain circumstances, visit the gym or set up a sports corner at home. This won't be necessary if you do push-ups regularly.

Push-ups do not require the use of any specialized expensive equipment or exercise equipment or sports equipment. To achieve good results, it is enough to have a desire to be in good shape, not to be lazy, and also to use a suitable push-up system (program).

The advantage of such trainings is that they have no restrictions. Absolutely everyone can do push-ups - children, adults, the elderly, men and women.

This basic exercise works several muscle groups at once. It is considered universal and must be included in any training plan.

During its implementation, the following are actively involved in the work:

  • rib cage;
  • shoulder girdle;
  • hands;
  • abdominal muscles.

Push-ups not only use different muscles, but also allow you to shift emphasis to certain groups. To work a specific area, it is enough to redistribute the load by changing support points and execution techniques.

The muscles are involved in the work already when the initial (initial) position is assumed. To keep the body in a static position, the intercostal and abdominal muscles, back, as well as arms and legs are activated.

Thanks to this basic, accessible, and, most importantly, effective exercise, muscle mass increases. In addition, a person who regularly does push-ups becomes stronger and more resilient. The impact speed also increases.

The following muscle groups receive the greatest load:

  • Breasts. Provide abduction and adduction, as well as rotation of the humerus. They are best worked in a wide-grip position.
  • Triceps. Thanks to the triceps muscles, the arms are straightened, and they develop best in a narrow grip position.
  • Biceps. They receive a powerful charge that increases the strength of the biceps muscles.
  • Deltoid. They acquire a beautiful relief, and, therefore, the shoulders look visually larger.
  • Serrated front. The lateral chest area is worked by doing a limited type of exercise, and push-ups are considered the best among them.
  • Pyramidal. The elbow muscles, which are a continuation of the triceps, provide easier extension of the forearms.

A correctly designed program and execution technique allows you to benefit not only the muscles. Push-ups strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, bone tissue, joints, and ligaments, and have a positive effect on metabolism. A person's health and well-being improve noticeably.

For a person who does not play sports and does not go to the gym, this exercise allows you to quickly tone weakened muscles. Thanks to this, it becomes much easier to carry out routine work that involves certain physical activity.

Having set a goal for yourself - to start doing push-ups, you need to understand that it will be difficult both psychologically and physically. At this stage, it is important not to overdo it, but to do everything correctly, so that in the future it will be much easier to make the transition from simple to complex.

It is not recommended to bring yourself to exhaustion in the first lesson. The result obtained is determined not only by the number of approaches, but by the technicality of execution, which is much more important. And if you simply push with numbers rather than quality, there will be no effect. Beginners should start the classic version of push-ups after performing this exercise, first from a vertical plane and then from the knees.

There is no need to rush. Each stage takes from seven days to several weeks. You need to focus solely on your preparation, as well as your physical fitness. The readiness to move to the next stage is indicated by the absence of difficulties in completing the current level.

Particular attention is paid to mastering the initial position, which depends on the type of push-up, correct breathing, and the direction of each movement. The torso lowers as you inhale and rises as you exhale. It is necessary to ensure that the body is always straight, and that the lowering and raising of the body is carried out solely by bending and straightening the arms.

  • You should start doing push-ups by performing 10 repetitions. It is recommended to increase the pace gradually. The main thing is to listen to your own feelings regarding how the body reacts to the current and increasing load. After class, the feeling of fatigue should be mild. No overvoltage. This is especially true for the first training sessions.
  • Before starting classes, you should always do a ten-minute warm-up, and perform the planned number of repetitions in several approaches with breaks of 2-3 minutes.
  • You need to do push-ups regularly. Training should never be adjusted to a routine.
  • Drawing up a training program must be accompanied by specific goals. If you need to build muscle mass, you will have to train daily. To keep yourself in good physical shape and to normalize body weight, you can do push-ups two to three times a week.
  • Those who decide to train daily should move to this pace gradually. First, you need to exercise every other day to prepare your muscles for the load. Rest also gives the muscles an impulse to gain mass.
  • When starting an exercise, you should always carefully study not only the description, but also the recommendations.
  • When doing push-ups, you can experiment and take some liberties, but only when all the movements are perfected, strength, agility and endurance are well developed, that is, with experience that comes with time.

Beginners are most often interested in the question of how many repetitions they should strive for. For women, it is enough to increase the number of push-ups to 30-40, and for men - to 50-100 push-ups. These are decent results, but not the best. People who want to have a toned, powerful body or who play sports should set higher goals for themselves.

In a month and a half, if you exercise regularly, women can achieve 50, and men 100 repetitions. You need to train for no more than 10-15 minutes. This is quite enough to increase arm strength, as well as the appearance of visually noticeable changes. There is one important point to consider here. There is an opinion that more than 15 repetitions per set will increase endurance, but only at the expense of increasing volume and physical strength.

To increase strength and muscle growth, you should pay increased attention to the technique of execution, complicate the movements and amplitude. You can do push-ups or other difficult variations.


This seemingly simple exercise has many variations. According to some experts, the number of different variations is more than fifty.

Most famous athletes and bodybuilders constantly introduce various additions and changes to push-ups, which allow them to shift the emphasis of the load and open up new opportunities.

Selecting easier options or making training even more difficult is everyone’s personal choice. The choice is determined by personal wishes, goals, and physical capabilities.

Familiar to everyone since school days, they were performed in physical education lessons. The emphasis is placed while lying down, resting on your toes and palms. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder level, palms facing forward. The emphasis is on the toes, slightly wider than the shoulders. The classic push-up movements involve the triceps, chest, and deltoids.

They are a lightweight variation suitable for beginners, elderly people or those with spinal problems. The initial pose is similar to the classic version, but only with emphasis on the legs bent at the knee joint, and not on the toes.

At the same time, keep your feet above the floor, placing one on top of the other. Thanks to this pose, the load is removed from the lower back and the force from various muscle groups is reduced. Studies have shown that the workload in classic push-ups is 64 percent, and with emphasis on the knee joints - 49 percent.

From a horizontal surface and from a wall

The first ones are quite difficult, especially for beginners, and if you start with them, then physical overexertion can be the reason that will discourage any desire to continue practicing. It is best to start the first steps with push-ups performed from a vertical plane, that is, from a wall. It is light, but quite practical, as it prepares muscles and joints for much higher loads.

The technique is quite simple. You need to stand up straight, stepping back from the wall about one step. The distance between the shoulders should be slightly greater than the width of the shoulders. It is best to keep your heels off the floor when the load from your body weight is transferred to your hands. You need to move towards the wall by bending your arms at the elbow joints until your chest touches the surface, and rise by straightening your elbows. At the same time, the torso should be kept straight, only the arms should work.

The distance between your arms out to the side is approximately two shoulder widths. The elbow joints look to the sides, and the emphasis can be on either clenched fists or open palms.

Socks resting on the surface of the floor, on the contrary, reduce the shoulders. As you go down, make sure that your elbow joints remain pointed to the side. Touching the floor, they quickly rise up.

The effectiveness of the exercise depends on the position of the torso, which should be kept straight from the feet to the head. If you lower your stomach, stick your buttocks up, or bend in the lumbar region, this will disrupt your technique.

To transfer the load to the chest muscles, the legs are placed on a hill - a sofa or bench, and the palms are left on the floor. Transferring the emphasis to a stand with a height of 60 cm, according to experts, allows you to increase the load to 75% of its own weight. If you do a reverse transfer, that is, place your arms rather than your legs on a hill, then doing the exercise will be much easier. The higher the bench height, the easier it is to perform push-ups.

The load on the chest muscles directly depends on the grip. The wider it is, the higher it is.

The arms are placed in line with the level of the shoulder joint, that is, along the body. Elbows point back. They stand either on their palms or on their fists. The position of the legs should be such that they are narrower than shoulder width. Moving down, the arms are bent, moving them along the body, directing the elbows back. Having touched the floor, keeping the body straight, they immediately rise up. This technique allows you to work your triceps. Placing your legs on a hill makes the exercise more difficult, but your arms make it easier.

It is a complex version of push-ups, thanks to which the triceps and frontal deltas are worked out.

The emphasis is placed exclusively on the palms, which are located side by side so that the fingers rest against the surface of the floor and turn slightly inward if necessary to make the execution easier. The toes are placed either slightly wider or at the same level with the shoulder girdle.

To go down, bend your arms, moving your elbows along your body. They are directed back and slightly to the sides. At the end point you need to touch the back of the hand. Move up until the arms are completely straight.

Widely spaced legs allow for a stable position. The right hand is left on the floor, and the slightly bent left hand is placed behind the back. To ensure safety and ensure maximum convenience for execution, it is recommended to use special stops.

The supporting (right) hand cannot be moved to the side. It should be in line with the body. Instead of four, there are only three points of support, and the legs spread to the sides allow you to maintain balance. When lowering, the elbow bends and moves to the side.

The downward movement is continued until the chest touches the floor, and then a push-up is performed, rising until the arm is straightened. Shoulders should be parallel to the floor. Having done a certain number of times, they change hands.

In order not to experience difficulties in performing this exercise, you must have fairly well-developed abdominal muscles.

Complicated Variations

This training perfectly loads the muscles, helps to develop good strength, speed and agility. To make a clap, you need to take a position in which your toes are the same width or narrower than your shoulder girdle, and your arms are 1.5 or 2 times wider apart.

The body is pushed up with a powerful push, lifting the palms off the floor, and quickly clapping. The return should be a soft and graceful landing on the palm of your hand. You can't flop on the floor.

Lightly touching the floor, you need to repeat the entire chain of movement “powerful push-clap-soft landing”. Hands should move rhythmically, harmoniously, strongly, quickly. Boxers include such push-ups in their training programs. They are useful for sprinters and those involved in various types of martial arts.

Focusing on the fingers helps strengthen the bones and increase the strength of the hands. The grip can be either narrow or wide. The main thing is that the emphasis is placed exclusively on the fingers.

It is necessary to do push-ups of this type only if you are in good physical shape and when your fingers are able to hold the body as securely as possible. To prepare for it, you should work a little with an expander to strengthen your hands.

Designed for athletes involved in strength disciplines and those who want to build bulky muscles and have a beautiful and clearly defined relief. The use of special weights allows you to increase the load, thanks to which the muscle tissue is worked out as deeply and efficiently as possible.

Vests equipped with weights are most often worn as weights. This equipment is also used by those who do pull-ups on the crossbar and do push-ups on the uneven bars. Instead of a vest, you can use a regular barbell plate. This weight should be used with caution and only when someone is nearby for backup. The partner must ensure that the pancake is positioned correctly on the back and does not fall. The push-ups themselves also require caution.

You need to start doing push-ups with light weights. It is increased gradually. It is recommended to add no more than one or two kilos per week.

Increasing the range of motion allows you to work out the muscles as effectively as possible. To achieve this, it is necessary to remove the lower constraint, that is, the floor.

This can be achieved by using three support points, which are three strong chairs. One becomes a support for the feet, and the other two - for the arms. Instead of chairs, it is allowed to use a variety of stands with a height of 10 to 15 centimeters.

Items used as support must be reliable. It is better to buy special handles designed for push-ups. Without the use of additional devices, it is impossible to do deep push-ups that allow you to go below the level of your hands.


At the first stage, you need to determine for yourself three to four days a week for classes. Even if you plan to do push-ups every day, at first you train only every other day. It is imperative to give your muscles time to recover and rest, and not to overexert yourself during your first workouts. At the first stage, a monthly plan is usually drawn up, changes to which occur every week.

A training plan might look like this:

First week:

  • warm-up
  • first approach - up to 8 push-ups
  • break - 1 minute
  • second approach – two push-ups less than in the first
  • break - 1 minute
  • third set – 5 repetitions
  • break – 5 minutes
  • fourth set – 5 push-ups
  • next two sets of five repetitions with a minute's rest

Second week:

  • warm-up
  • four sets of 8 repetitions, pauses of 1 minute

Third week:

  • warm-up
  • four sets, maximum number of repetitions (without excessive tension and with high quality)
  • rest between sets - 1 minute

The final (fourth) week is devoted to increasing the number of push-ups. They plan the next training month independently and draw up a program for each training day.

Those who have completed initial training, are ready for full-time training, and want to start building a strong and beautiful body need a more advanced approach. It is necessary to develop and change plans every five to seven weeks, aiming to increase repetitions.

1st day:

  • warm-up
  • push-ups with weights - 4 sets of 12-15 times
  • hand push-ups together - 4, 10-12
  • abdominal exercise - 1, 40-50

Day 2:

  • warm-up
  • 100 reps for selected exercise (change push-ups every week)
  • first week 10 sets of 10 reps *
  • pause between sets 2-3 minutes

3rd day:

  • warm-up
  • wide grip push-ups 1 set max
  • Medium grip push-ups 1 set max
  • abdominal exercise – 1 set to the maximum

4th day:

  • warm-up
  • deep push-ups - 3 sets of 20-25 times
  • squats – 3, 20-30
  • hand push-ups together - 3, 10-12

  1. Descriptions of the exercises allow you to formulate the correct technique of execution, but give you the opportunity to adjust the execution according to your characteristics and goals. You should always place your hands on a plane so that you do not feel any discomfort in the joints. It is necessary to try to prevent them from twisting, unbending, or bending. You always need to find the most comfortable placement of your palms.
  2. You should definitely pay attention to developing flexibility by additionally performing special exercises, and also stretch your wrists before class.
  3. To avoid injuries and sprains, it is recommended to wear wristbands or bandages. This protection is relevant for those who perform complex squats with clapping, on one arm, without resting on the toes.
  4. Not all women are able to achieve a full range of motion due to a large bust. To “eliminate” the obstacle, you should use stops. Thanks to these devices, girls can increase the amplitude.
  5. The difficulty of push-ups depends on the position of your legs. The higher they are, the more difficult the exercise and the load placed on the muscles. Experienced athletes may not even use tables, benches, or stools, but instead do vertical push-ups with their legs up.
  6. Each training program necessarily involves the inclusion of abdominal and biceps exercises in the plan.
  7. We should not forget about the importance of proper nutrition. In order for muscles to develop and form, you need to eat more meat and vegetables.