What muscles are affected by push-ups? What muscles work during different types of push-ups?

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 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, affordable, 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 properly designed program and execution technique allows you to receive benefits not only for the muscles. Push-ups strengthen breathing and cardiovascular system, bone tissue, joints, and ligaments have a positive effect on the course of 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 requires 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 vertical plane, and then from your knees.

There is no need to rush. Each stage takes from seven days to several weeks. You need to focus solely on your preparation and 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 own feelings regarding how the body reacts to 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 stress. 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. One thing to consider here important point. 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.

Apparent simple exercise has many options. 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 lighter version 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 develop good performance 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 who exercise various types 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 efficiently 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. No application additional accessories 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 only train 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

Descriptions for the exercises allow you to formulate correct technique execution, but give the opportunity to adjust the execution according to their 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.
You should definitely pay attention to developing flexibility by additionally performing special exercises, and also stretch your wrists before class.
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.
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.
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.
Each training program necessarily involves the inclusion of abdominal and biceps exercises in the plan.
We should not forget the importance proper nutrition. In order for muscles to develop and form, you need to eat more meat and vegetables.

Push-ups

Those who are going to practice push-ups need to know which muscles are pumped during the exercise and how long they need to practice to achieve the desired result. In this article you will find answers to all questions regarding training, and you will be able to as soon as possible get your body in shape.

The push-up technique and the muscles working during this exercise are closely related, so before you start training in this way, try to learn everything about the available techniques in order to avoid mistakes in the future that could affect the result.

Thanks to this exercise, soldiers in many countries around the world maintain ideal shape. Just a few minutes of such training a day, and you can get an ideal body and physical endurance. To see this for yourself, start practicing now.

So, what muscles work during push-ups? It works the muscle tissue of the shoulder girdle and upper limbs. When performed systematically, areas of the biceps, deltoid muscles, as well as the forearms and triceps of both upper extremities are pumped. The wrists, elbow joints and hands are also strengthened.

Muscle group involved in push-ups

When doing push-ups, the pectoral muscles are also worked. With constant training, you can strengthen and enlarge the large chest muscle. Girls who constantly do push-ups have a tightening of their décolleté area and it looks perfect.

By training, you will be able to feel how the back muscles, or more precisely, the upper and lower ones, work. The muscular apparatus of the upper section is pumped together with the muscle tissues of the upper limbs and shoulder girdle while lowering and lifting the body, and the muscles of the lower section are pumped while holding the body in upright position.

By extending your arms, the tension passes from the back muscles to the entire torso, and the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back relax a little. The abdominal muscles also actively work, which is aimed at raising and lowering the body. The abs are also worked out because they help keep the body in a straight position during exercise. To feel the work of these muscles, during push-ups you need to listen to the sensations in the abdomen. As the abs tense and muscle areas stretch, a slight burning sensation is felt. If it is not there, then you are doing the exercise incorrectly. The gluteal muscles and quadriceps are less involved in push-ups. They are worked out if you exercise with one leg raised in the air.

Drawing a conclusion from the above, we can say that push-ups engage most muscles, improve coordination, work the muscular system along the spine and strengthen the skeletal corset that holds it.

Energy costs

Do you have good preparation, and you know how to do exercises more energetically than usual, in this case, about one calorie will be burned per push-up. When you do a hundred exercises, you will get rid of a hundred calories.

For those who are not physically strong, you need to use a different scheme to calculate lost calories. You need to swing using high loads. That is, by doing push-ups with weights in an hour of training, you can get rid of six hundred and ninety calories. And in ten minutes you can burn about one hundred and fifteen calories.

Breath

When taking the standard position for classic push-ups, the upper limbs should be positioned so that they are at shoulder level or close to each other.

The wider you spread your lower limbs, the easier it will be for you to perform the exercise. If you are a beginner, place your feet wider than trained athletes should. By bringing your legs together, you will double the load on your muscles. lower limbs and shoulders.

The torso must be held straight so that a straight line can be visually drawn along it. The pelvic area should not sag, and the femoral part should not rise high. For beginners, it is better to train in front of a mirror in order to monitor the position of the body. If it does not resemble a straight line, then the exercise is pointless.

During training, inhale air through your nose, lower your torso, bend your upper limbs so that your elbow bends at a ninety-degree angle. Keep your head straight, do not pull it up or down. It should be in line with the body.

Returning to the starting position, exhale through the mouth.

Breathing during these exercises should be the same as during other workouts. That is, you need to inhale during the most difficult part of the push-up. During the exercise, the most difficult stage will be raising the torso, extending the arms and returning to the starting position. That's when you need to exhale. You should inhale as you rise, exhale as you descend. If you breathe correctly, you will not feel dizzy and your blood pressure will not rise sharply.

Women should do thirty push-ups in three sets, and men one hundred times in five sets.

Species

They are not only classic. There are other variations of this exercise that involve not only the main muscle groups, but also additional ones.

For posture

Push-ups with a fitball

If you want to pump up not only the main muscle group, but also take care of your posture. Then to strengthen the spinal column, dilute the exercise with a fitball.

To perform it, spread your arms and place your feet on a gymnastic ball. The ball creates an unsteady effect that tightens the muscles that help keep your spine straight when walking. This way, you can strengthen the muscle corset around the spine, making your back less tired and sore.

Exercises with a fitball are performed in the same way as regular inclined push-ups. This exercise allows you to pump up those muscle areas that were in a relaxed state during the classic type of push-ups.

T-shaped

Such exercises are much more complex, which means more muscle groups are worked. Plus, the oblique abdominal muscles also work.

To perform a push-up, you need to stand in a classic stance, then bend your upper limbs and lower your torso, lifting one leg and bringing it to the elbow joint. Raising the torso up, the lower limb must be aligned and placed on the floor. In the next approach, you need to bend the second leg, working with them in turn with each push-up. The exercise is somewhat reminiscent of a spider crawling up a wall.

T-type push-ups work not only your abs, but also your posture. To perform it you need to take a standard stance. Then do a push-up, lift one arm off the supporting plane and rotate your body, after which you return to a standard stance. On the next push-up, rotate and lift your arm in the other direction. So you'll be combining the standard push-up with T-turns.

With dumbbells

To perform this exercise, you need to take small dumbbells, take a standard position, do push-ups, return to the standard position, and then lift your hand from the stubborn limb and press it to the chest. Then place your hand on the floor, do push-ups and do the same with the other hand.

Checkerboard push-ups are performed according to the classic type, but the positioning of the upper limbs should be at different levels. By placing your hands one above the other, you can work their muscles in an enhanced mode. Their position must be changed with each push-up.

Lightweight

This type of exercise is suitable for people without the proper level of training. In this case, you need to do push-ups on your knees or with your hands on a raised platform (on a special gymnastics platform). The load on the arms will not be as strong if you place the lower limbs closer to each other.

When training on a gymnastic platform, the entire load goes on the upper limbs, shoulder girdle and lower limbs.

Heavy

If you have been training for a long time and have good physical strength and endurance, you can do push-ups on one leg. The technique is the same, but one of the lower limbs must be kept in the air.

By doing all the exercises described above, you will be able to get yourself in order in a few months and work out many muscle groups, making them pumped and sculpted.

For a beautiful body and excellent health, physical activity comes to the rescue. The main part of any workout is push-ups.

Proper push-ups benefit the entire body and are accessible to almost everyone, unless there are any serious contraindications. In order to start doing push-ups, you don’t need to look for a special place.

As in men's training, and in women's push-ups are placed in one of the places of honor among various exercises. Push-ups are good for the back, arms, abs and many muscles of the human body. What other advantages are there? They have a beneficial effect on other human organs and systems.

Respiratory system. If you do push-ups with correct breathing, then you can get rid of health problems such as shortness of breath or bronchial asthma. And also:

there is an increase in lung volume;

blood supply to organs improves;
intercostal muscles are trained;
ventilation of the lungs increases.

Cardiovascular system

Due to improved blood circulation, metabolism and metabolic processes are accelerated. The blood vessels return to normal and their tone improves. Blood pressure is normalized.

The benefits of push-ups are also observed for preventive purposes in atherosclerosis, hypotension and thrombophlebitis.

Musculoskeletal system

With the help of push-ups, you can strengthen and work your muscles, tendons and train your joints. Fewer injuries occur because the ligaments become more elastic. In the prevention of tendovaginitis, arthrosis and periostitis, the use of push-ups is considered useful. They are also recommended for rehabilitation after operations on joints, arms, back and injuries in general.

Nervous system

It is affected by plyometric push-ups (an exercise where you lift your hands off the floor and push), and as a result:

improved muscle coordination;
development of strength and speed of hand movements;
increased reaction speed;
normalization of psycho-emotional state;
getting rid of aggression, gaining confidence and calmness.

One thing to remember is that if you are new to push-ups, easy types of push-ups are a good place to start. When you get used to training, you can increase the load and add more complex push-up variations.

Remember that it is better to do fewer times, but more often, than to overwork your body.

After each approach, you should take a break of 2-3 minutes. The main rule is not to overdo it!

As for the push-up technique, in any form, the body should be in a horizontal position, and the legs should be brought together, and you should not lower your head (look straight at one point). The hips and knees remain motionless, and the entire load is performed by the arms, and the chest should touch the floor when lowering.

You need to know how to breathe correctly while doing push-ups so as not to lose consciousness or overwork your muscles. You should not perform the approach in one breath to avoid oxygen starvation. Muscles need oxygen during training, so you need to inhale while bending your arms, and exhale while straightening.

During exercise, fluid loss always occurs. Therefore there is controversial issue Should you drink water during training? And if you drink, how much? The only recommendation here is that it is necessary to restore fluid loss, but with individual approach. If you take average statistics, then during an hour-long workout, up to 0.5 liters of water can be consumed. It is advisable to drink a few sips, no more.

What muscles are pumped during push-ups?

Let's look at them:

Deltoid and brachialis muscles

Thanks to the deltoids, the chest is able to push the body out during upward movement. If you train the deltoids, the shoulder will take on a rounded shape;
Muscle ulnaris

This is a kind of extension of the triceps, with the help of which the forearms are extended;
Triceps

The location of this triceps muscle is the back of the upper arm. If you train your triceps, your arm will become stronger. This muscle is involved in elbow extension. The entire load during push-ups occurs mostly on the triceps. The narrower the arms, the more this muscle is involved;
Coracobrachial

This muscle is located in the upper arm and is a continuation of the biceps (from the chest and shoulder blade). It is necessary to perform upward lifting. Plays an important role in the development of the upper body;
Serratus anterior muscle

Its location is under the arms. This muscle is used during push-ups while moving the shoulder blades forward.

Types of push-ups, their features

There are many variations of push-ups - classic push-ups for beginners and difficult ones. The main types are classic push-ups, push-ups with an emphasis on a hill with your head up, push-ups with an emphasis on a hill with your head down, push-ups from your knees, push-ups with a narrow shoulder spacing, push-ups with a wide shoulder spacing.

And also more complex ones: push-ups on the palms, push-ups on the fists, push-ups on the back of the hand, push-ups from the floor on the edge of the palm, push-ups from the floor on the fingers, push-ups from the floor on one hand, plyometric push-ups, push-ups from the floor in a handstand with support (head down) and others.

Here are examples of some of them:
Remember also some features when performing push-ups:
- to work the triceps, the hands are placed as close to each other as possible;
- for the pectoral muscles, the arms must be placed wide;
- to strengthen your fingers, do push-ups on your fists;
- biceps are maximally trained if you place your palms along the body and unfold your arms;
- It’s easy to ease the load, you just need to lean on your knees;
- To strengthen, do push-ups on one arm.
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Women's and men's push-ups

Generally speaking, there is no significant difference in pumping up muscles with push-ups for men and women. The principle of execution is the same.

Only girls are allowed concessions. It's rare to find girls who can do push-ups with a clap, or push-ups on knuckles. Weights in push-ups are unacceptable for women, while men can do push-ups on one hand, with a clap, and with a jump.

For women, the variety of exercises is expanded by varying the position of the arms and body. A common position for women is a push-up with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. They are done at an average pace, without sudden movements and large amplitude.

Women should take into account that various jewelry and clothes that hinder movement will be a big hindrance in training.

Contraindications and possible harm

With any training, you should consider the possible risks. Therefore, to avoid any problems when doing push-ups, see if you have any contraindications. Avoid overload, do everything in moderation, if you find that any of the following applies to you:
- injuries to the shoulders, elbows or wrists;
- overweight;
- poor coordination;
- inability to do the exercise with correct posture and a straight spine.
Don't forget to breathe properly. The muscles working during push-ups need oxygen. If you do not adhere to this rule, you may experience general weakness and dizziness.

A very interesting fact is that even with back problems, doctors insist on performing this exercise, and this once again proves the effectiveness, simplicity and safety of this basic element of training.

Remember that, no matter what advice you read, no matter how much you would like to start immediate exercise, first of all consult a doctor.

It is he who will give you permission and make basic recommendations depending on the degree of your physiological condition. If there are no contraindications, then feel free to start improving your body!

When doing push-ups, what muscles work? Push-ups are basic exercises, but variations of the same movement allow you to work out different groups muscles. The push-up looks like an inverted row and is suitable for both men and women. If you vary the width of your hand grip, body position, and back, you can focus on a specific muscle group. Like any bodyweight exercise, push-ups require precise technique and adherence to rules.

The benefits of push-ups

Most training programs include this type of exercise. This speaks to its effectiveness: with the help of push-ups you can acquire beautiful muscles in your arms, back, and chest. The versatility of the exercise is due to the fact that all the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle are involved, the abs and parts of the back work.

What do these exercises do? In addition to its benefits for building a beautiful, sculpted body, push-ups have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. Blood flow and metabolic processes improve, and endurance increases. When working with your hands on the floor, the exercise gives the effect of a cardio load. Many experts recommend that patients do simple push-ups to prevent coronary heart disease.

When performing classic push-ups from the floor with straight legs, the upper shoulder girdle is worked out. Depending on the nuances of movements that the movable shoulder joint provides, certain muscle tissues are more loaded. The exercise is aimed at achieving endurance, strength and elasticity of the shoulder girdle.

The thoracic muscular system is divided into upper, middle and lower sections. To work the upper part, you need a push-up pattern designed for a narrow grip. With the classical scheme, this department is involved to a lesser extent. The middle thoracic region works most actively; it is the main work area when doing push-ups from the floor.

What muscles work during push-ups?

What muscles are pumped:

When working on this exercise, most of the load falls on the pectoralis major muscle. It is located on the front of the chest, these muscles abduct the arms. If you do push-ups with a wide grip, you will be able to pump up a wide, sculpted chest; the movements are ideal for muscle growth.
The triceps muscles of the shoulder actively work during push-ups. Many people do push-ups for the sake of triceps relief, which is difficult to pump up. Since the triceps is responsible for extending the elbow joint, it receives a significant load, which means it works at full capacity. To focus on the triceps, you need to take a position on your hands so that your thumbs touch each other, then push-ups with a narrow grip will be effective.
The biceps muscles are no less loaded during push-ups. The biceps takes on the load, allowing you to lift and lower the weight of your entire body. The deltoid muscle is well worked out during push-ups; it is responsible for the beautiful relief appearance of the contour of the shoulder girdle.
To engage the serratus anterior muscle, you need to do push-ups on your fists according to the standard pattern. It is located in the area of the front surface of the rib, so with the classical scheme there is less load on it than when working with fists.
During push-ups, not only the listed muscle groups work, but the rectus abdominis and buttocks muscles also take part.

Push-up pattern

For the greatest efficiency and to achieve the desired result, you should choose a set of push-ups that is right for you. It all depends on what muscle group you want to pump up with the help of a basic exercise. You can focus on one group or another, creating a balanced relief taking into account the body structure. To figure out which muscles are pumping, you don’t have to call a trainer. Do all the movements in different push-up specifications at half speed and get a feel for how your body works.

Types of push-ups can be different, it all depends on the goals and objectives of the training process. Suitable for increasing endurance classic version with increasing tempo. Push-ups should become a separate element of the training process, not a warm-up or a cool-down, but a full-fledged independent complex. The load should be increasing and increasing.

Start with a series of classic push-ups, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your legs straight. Then move on to a close grip. You will use the triceps, trapezius, deltoid, serratus anterior, and pectoral muscles. If necessary, some of the exercises can be transferred to the bench press with the same narrow grip. The result will be similar. However, if you don't like or don't want to work with a barbell, then concentrate entirely on push-ups. It is advisable to use a mat for work so as not to injure your hands. Narrow-grip push-ups are useful for detailed relief work.

Wide-grip push-ups allow you to actively engage pectoral muscles, the lower part is also worked out, the back and abs are involved. This universal exercise is suitable for everyone. It is important to monitor the arch in the back; it should not exist. The back is parallel to the floor, without arching up and down, the body lowers and rises only due to the muscles of the arms, abs and chest. You cannot help with your back and legs, this is wrong.

Specifics of the exercise

For those who have successfully mastered the classic type of exercise and working with a narrow grip, you can offer push-ups on your fingers. This allows you to develop joints and finger strength. You should begin the exercise being prepared so as not to injure the cartilage and joints. To properly do push-ups on your fingers, you need to take the position of support on your hands with straight legs. Women should start on their knees.

The load on each finger should be uniform; it should not be allowed that during emphasis thumb was too moved to the side, since when lowering the body there would be a colossal load on it. Keep the point of emphasis on your index and middle fingers, they will allow you to distribute the weight correctly. Do not roll onto your ring and little fingers to avoid dislocating or stretching the joints. The physically strongest parts of the hand should be loaded.

Push-ups with cotton look impressive. However, this is not done for beauty, but to work the triceps, chest and increase endurance. Stand on your hands with a standard grip, spread your legs more than usual to make it easier to maintain balance. Lower your body down, not bringing it 5 cm to your hands, then without stopping, jerk your body up. When in a position where your hands are off the floor, quickly clap your hands. After the clap, quickly return your hands to the starting position to land softly. Due to the need to maintain balance, the abs, legs and back are additionally loaded.

Who are push-ups suitable for?

To figure out which muscles work during push-ups and what exactly you need, it is advisable to use the services of a trainer. To bring the proportions to an ideal state, you will have to make an effort and purposefully work on a specific muscle group.

Women need them to increase endurance and work on the triceps, which create a smooth, beautiful relief. If a girl chooses push-ups, which muscles will work more actively is up to her to decide, depending on the goals of the workout. Some people need to balance their shoulder girdle and chest proportions. For extension muscle mass in the upper shoulder girdle, push-ups are ideal. Do not neglect simple exercises with your own weight.

This universal method develop muscles and achieve a natural, beautiful state of the upper shoulder girdle and chest. You won’t be able to pump yourself up with basic exercises, so you should include push-ups more often in your training program. The risk of injury is also significantly less than when working with a barbell, which is why trainers give preference this species training for beginner athletes.

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