The Key to Improving Pushups

An exercise classic, the pushup often gets looked over as a good strength training exercise. Pushups, however, are excellent for the shoulders, biceps, triceps, back, and chest. They also strengthen your core, requiring you to maintain a steady plane throughout the move. Improving pushups isn’t too difficult but executing them in good form may be. Many people brag about how many pushups they can do in repetition. Many of these high numbers though are due to executing the pushups in poor form. When you do pushups with limited range of motion, it is much easier to rack up the numbers. When you have the proper form, however, pushups become more difficult and consequently, better for you. The key to improving pushups is in having good form.

Improving pushups starts with having perfect form:

1. Your hands should be placed just outside of shoulder width. Often people place their hands too close together or too far up (close to the head). By placing your hands just outside of your shoulders you increase your range of motion making for a more beneficial exercise.

2. Your head should look straight down when executing the move. Raising your head tends to put undue stress on the neck. Keeping a line from your back all the way through the top of your head encourages good, straight form.

3. Elbows should remain close to the body. If you allow your elbows to “wing out” you put unnecessary stress on the shoulders.

4. The number one hint for improving pushups is to keep your body straight. Allowing your middle to sag or letting your butt stick up in the air can not only increase your risk of injury but also doesn’t allow your body to get the most out of the pushup.

 
There are tools to help you with improving pushups. Things like the P90X Pushup Stands allow you greater range of motion while the Power Stands  push-up bars help improve form while protecting your wrists from strain. The pushup is an oldie but goodie in the world of exercise. With many variations off the basic form, you can tweak it to keep things interesting and target specific muscles.