Different types of push-ups from the floor - what muscle groups work, technique, which push-ups are better

Push-ups are perhaps one of the most common exercises in fitness, but at the same time quite difficult. It helps to pump up your arms well and is used both for training children in schools and for training elite soldiers. Everyone knows the classic push-up, but what if we take it a step further and make it a little more challenging?

The Men's Physicist prize-winner has collected all possible options for performing this exercise: from the usual to the most incredible, which not everyone can repeat.

Alexander Ivanov

medalist of the Russian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship

Push-ups will differ in hand placement, different support variations, the ability to use TRX loops and the difficulty of maintaining balance.

Pushups

05.06.2020 20:44

Author: Fitness trainer Sergey Konstantinov

To tighten the muscles of the abs, arms, legs, you need to choose a set of gymnastic exercises that will allow you to cope with the task perfectly. Push-ups are an excellent option that allows you to achieve your cherished goal quickly, reliably and with minimal effort and time.

Benefit

Push-ups are useful not only from the point of view of muscle training. They have a significant positive effect on the body. Before you start training, you should pay attention to this aspect.

Here are the main positive aspects of regularly doing push-ups:

• Training various muscle groups.

When performing push-ups, several muscle groups are used simultaneously. This approach to training and the choice in favor of the specified exercise allows you to quickly achieve the intended result. During training, the following areas are actively worked: the chest, shoulder apparatus, arms, and abs.

• Improved mental well-being.

In the process of doing push-ups, the active production of happiness hormones occurs, which is best reflected in a person’s perception of the world around him. In this regard, people who regularly do push-ups are less susceptible to stress and poor health.

• Prevention of respiratory diseases.

While performing push-ups, the chest is involved in the work, therefore, by forming proper breathing, it is possible to prevent the manifestation of various disorders in this area.

• Strengthening the heart muscle.

Due to the inclusion of the pectoral and intercostal muscles during push-ups, cardiovascular activity is activated. With this approach and daily push-ups, it is possible to increase resistance to diseases in this area.

• Development of endurance.

People who regularly do a set of push-ups become strong and resilient. This means that it becomes easier for them to endure both physical and moral hardships.

• Muscle building.

The complex is aimed at increasing muscle mass. Therefore, with regular training, the opportunity to build muscle in a relatively short time increases. If you additionally use weights during exercise, the results will not be long in coming.

These are the main advantages of regularly performing push-ups. To achieve the expected result, it is important not to miss classes, but if there are signs of deterioration in health, it is important to stop training.

Pull-ups and push-ups

Both pull-ups and push-ups are very effective exercises; they can only be beneficial if they are performed together.

The only thing is, by training both push-ups and pull-ups at the same time, you will exercise more intensely. As a result, you will begin to have difficulty performing individual cycles in each workout.

But it’s worth a try, because push-ups develop the chest muscles, and pull-ups develop the shoulders. This way your muscles and strength will grow together and faster. It is advisable to carry out training alternately: one day - push-ups, the other day - pull-ups.

What muscles work?

During push-ups, different muscle groups work. Therefore, a set of push-ups in various variations is used as a warm-up in various sports. Not only as an auxiliary element, but also as a main exercise, push-ups are suitable for building and pumping up muscles.

Here are the main muscle groups that work during push-ups:

• Chest muscles. Their activation occurs during the movement of the shoulder joints and bones. To pump them up as effectively as possible during push-ups, you need to regularly do push-ups with a wide grip.
• Triceps. They can be pumped up by performing push-ups with a narrow grip. The triceps muscles work, the arms straighten.
• Biceps muscles. The biceps begin to actively work during various types of push-ups, which allows you to quickly and effectively increase their volume.
• Shoulder. If you regularly perform this type of gymnastics in a position from the floor, the results will not be long in coming. The deltoid muscles will increase in mass and acquire a beautiful, sculpted appearance.
• Serrated. The lateral part of the chest is perfectly developed and worked out when doing push-ups. There is no other, more effective exercise for this group.
• Elbows. They continue the triceps muscles, and during push-ups there is a slight extension and flexion of the forearms. When performing this movement, you can quickly and effectively pump up this part of the body.

Push-ups are a unique exercise that can quickly improve the physical shape of a person who has ignored training for a long time. With just a few sessions in the gym or at home, you can transform your appearance, making your body contour more expressive and toned.

Basic mistakes and how to fix them

Sagging or arching in the lower back

How to fix: First of all, push-ups strengthen the pectoral muscles, shoulders, and triceps. But other parts of the body are also involved in this process.

Pay special attention to strengthening your buttocks and legs. And instead of letting your hips hit the floor first, always make sure your chest hits the floor first and your hips are in line with your shoulders.

Holding your breath

How to fix: Concentrating on working the muscles of the body and numerous repetitions, it is very easy to forget about one of the most important parts of the work process - breathing.

Here's how to breathe correctly when doing push-ups: inhale as you lower your torso and exhale as you rise.

Strong extension of the elbows to the sides

How to fix: Undoubtedly, holding your arms exclusively at a ninety-degree angle is very difficult, because it puts a colossal load on the shoulders. Instead of forming a "T" with your body and arms, try keeping your elbows at a 20-40 degree angle from your torso.

Cheating or coasting

How to fix: Make sure that with every push-up, without exception, your chest touches the floor and your elbows are as high as possible. Incorrect, ridiculous attempts to make the exercise easier will delay the prospect of getting beautiful, sculpted muscles.

Strong neck tension and forehead resting on the floor

How to Fix: If you've ever felt pain in your neck while doing push-ups, you probably weren't keeping your neck in a neutral position. This can be corrected by choosing a certain point half a meter in front of you. If this doesn't help and the neck twisting sensation persists, the full push-up exercise may be too difficult at this point. Try to exercise on your knees until your physical fitness allows you to switch to the standard version.

Placing hands beyond shoulder level

How to fix: At first glance, it may seem easier to shift your body weight back a little. But if you don't place your hands directly under your shoulders, it can compromise your technique and take pressure off your chest. To correct, move your body forward slightly so that your shoulders are directly above your wrists to perform a proper push-up.

Contraindications

There are categories of people who should hold off on doing push-ups. This is due to the fact that increased stress can worsen a person’s well-being, becoming a trigger for various types of chronic diseases. If there are reasons for concern, you should first consult a doctor and only then create a push-up program.

Here are the conditions for which push-ups should be performed with extreme caution:

• Disorders of the cardiovascular system.

Heart failure, disruptions in myocardial function, sudden jumps in blood pressure are reasons to perform movements with extreme caution or completely exclude them from the list of exercises. The best course of action will be advised by a doctor who has complete information about the patient’s health status.

• Malfunctions of the respiratory system.

Asthma and sudden bronchospasm will be a compelling argument to temporarily suspend training. During gymnastics, the pectoral muscles actively work. They alternately contract and relax. This condition is stressful to provoke an attack.

• Pregnancy and lactation period.

While expecting a baby and some time after his birth, a young mother should refrain from active training. When performing gymnastics from the floor, there is a high risk of toning the uterus, which is not a good thing either during pregnancy or immediately after the birth of a child.

• Injuries to bones and joints, disorders and malfunctions in their functioning.

If a person has problems with the musculoskeletal system, it is recommended to refrain from doing push-ups. During exercises, the load on the skeleton increases from the floor, which threatens a deterioration in well-being.

• Postoperative period.

After surgery, it is recommended to eliminate stress on the body, including push-ups. If you neglect this nuance, there is a high risk of complications in the form of relapses and suture dehiscence. When it will be possible to start performing elements of gymnastics from the floor, the doctor will tell you after assessing the patient’s state of health.

These are basic body conditions in which push-ups are not recommended. In any case, if you notice any signs of ill health, you should stop training. Even during a common cold, you should postpone gymnastics until you are completely feeling well.

How to train correctly?

When starting to develop habits in your behavior that correspond to the principles of a healthy lifestyle, it is important to approach the implementation of your plans correctly. You shouldn't worry or get upset about failures. Push-ups quickly lead to achieving the desired result, but this does not happen in one day. Therefore, before starting to perform elements of gymnastics from the floor, you should understand the following important points:

• The load is manageable. It is a mistake to focus on the quantitative indicator of performing push-ups. Many novice athletes and adherents of a healthy lifestyle strive to do as many repetitions as possible. As a result, they spend a huge amount of resources, driving themselves to exhaustion. But you don’t get the necessary results from gymnastics from the floor.
• Mastering the classic push-up program in the initial stages of training. You should not immediately, without prior preparation, start with complex elements of gymnastics from the floor. It makes sense to start mastering the classical variations, and as your skill and skill grow, to complicate the task.
• Sequential development of elements. When mastering the push-up technique, it is important to take your time and try to do as many variations of the exercise as possible. It is acceptable to practice each element of gymnastics from the floor over a period of a week to a month. Success depends on personal physical fitness and abilities.
• Detailed study of the starting position. When starting to do push-ups, you should take an emphasis while lying on the floor. In this case, you should properly manage your breathing. The body should be lowered down and inhaled, and as you exhale it should be raised. It is important to ensure that the body is straight and that the body is lifted by bending and extending the arms.

These are the main nuances that are important to consider when choosing push-ups. Excessive haste will only cause harm and will not bring the expected result.

Explosive Strength Development

Explosive strength is the ability to do maximum work in a minimum period of time. This quality is necessary when practicing CrossFit and many other disciplines. Explosive strength exercises already presuppose the athlete’s good endurance and developed muscles. Therefore, they are not recommended for beginners.

Plyometric exercises include clap push-ups, Spartan push-ups (one hand is placed slightly in front and the other slightly behind, changing their position as you jump) and any other variations that involve a dynamic change in posture during the movement.

A great example of a multifunctional plyometric exercise that combines jumping jacks with push-ups is the burpee.

Composition of the training program

In order for the results from training to exceed all expectations, it is important to properly plan your training program. You should not immediately load yourself up and immediately rush to do push-ups. It is necessary to carry out a little planning work in advance.

Here are the main nuances that you should pay attention to:

• It is necessary to start exercises from the floor with 10 repetitions.

There is no need to do a lot at once. The dynamics of push-ups should be developed gradually. It is important to follow your own feelings and focus on how you feel. If after the exercise you feel very tired and feel worse, you should slow down. The body’s normal reaction is a feeling of slight fatigue without pain in various organs.

• Warm up.

It is a mistake to believe that push-ups can be done without preliminary warm-up. In fact, this is necessary in order to increase blood flow and warm up the body, which with this approach will be easier to absorb physical activity. The optimal time required to perform exercises at this stage is 3 minutes.

• Regularity and systematicity.

This is the basic rule of training from the floor. Push-ups should be done regularly. Training should never be adjusted to a routine. It is important to clearly define the time for classes and not deviate from the stated schedule.

• A clear goal of the lesson.

It is important to do push-ups for a reason; there must be a clear goal for this. You can choose gymnastics from the floor to build muscle mass, to maintain excellent physical shape, or to lose weight.

• In the initial stages, you should not train intensively.

If the choice is made in favor of push-ups, then it is necessary to perform gymnastics from the floor every other day. Immediately large daily impacts on the body will become a serious test for it and will put it into a stressful state. Therefore, when starting to do push-ups, you need to do gymnastics every other day.

• Exercise options should be selected taking into account the recommendations.

You should not do those types of push-ups that fit the description. It is important to study the information section that indicates which muscle groups it is intended for.

• You can diversify the exercise a little and add your own elements to it, complicating the task.

But this should be done only when technical skills are honed to a level of perfection.

In the initial stages, you should perform push-ups in front of a mirror. This approach allows you to control the correct reproduction of gymnastics elements.

General recommendations

To ensure the most effective results from push-ups, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• the number of repetitions in the first lesson is no more than 10. As already mentioned, it is important to increase the pace gradually. At the end of the workout, you should feel pleasantly tired, without a feeling of overexertion;
• Before push-ups, we strongly recommend doing a short warm-up lasting about 10 minutes;
• classes must be regular. Do not allow long breaks, as all the results obtained will go down the drain.

How many times should you do it?

When starting a push-up program, people usually wonder how many reps should they do? Experienced trainers recommend taking into account the characteristics of the body, the presence or absence of certain diseases, as well as the level of training.

Here are the basic recommendations regarding the number of repetitions of push-ups:

• You need to start by doing it a small number of times. Women should do no more than 40 push-ups, and men should do no more than 50. This is in the initial stages. As skills develop and improve, the indicator should be increased.
• After a month and a half, subject to regular implementation of the training program points. The number of times should be increased. Women can now perform 50 push-ups, and men - up to 100. There is no need to increase the figure further. The indicated amount is enough to train your hands and achieve noticeable changes.

To enhance muscle growth, it is important to pay attention not to quantity, but to quality. In the process of performing push-ups, you should improve the movements, complicating them with additional elements.

Example of a push-up program for beginners

You need to train according to this table every other day. The numbers indicate the number of repetitions in the approach, the sign > rest between approaches. The rest time is arbitrary, but try not to rest longer than necessary to regain your breathing.

• You can start the approach with classic push-ups, and continue from your knees or from the wall. When the circuit ends, repeat the last day, performing more and more repetitions from the floor.
• You can go through the entire circuit against the wall, then the entire circuit from your knees, then the entire circuit from the floor.

Below we present a push-up program for men, it is also designed for a month.

Train regularly - and in a month you will be able to do 30-40 push-ups!

Kinds

Push-ups are an interesting and useful element of gymnastics, which is rich in various variations. Therefore, when performing these exercises, you should pay attention to their variety.

The following types of push-ups are distinguished:

• classic;
• from the knees;
• from the wall;
• with a wide grip;
• with a narrow grip and others.

Which option to choose depends on your level of physical fitness and personal capabilities. In the initial stages, you should pay attention to the classic version of push-ups.

Classic

To perform this type of push-up, it is important to take the correct position and follow the recommendations in the description.

Here are the main features of this exercise:

• Take an emphasis lying on the floor. In this case, it is important to ensure that the support is on the toes and palms of the hands.
• It is important to place your hands wider on the floor, extending beyond shoulder level.

Now you should raise and lower your body, trying to keep it at floor level. This type of push-up has been known to almost everyone since school days, since it is an integral element of the physical education program.

From my knees

This type of push-up will appeal to older people, beginner athletes and people with a low level of physical fitness.

This variety is a simplified version of the usual push-ups. Here is the peculiarity of the technique:

• It is necessary, as in the previous case, to take an emphasis while lying on the floor.
• When lifting and lowering your body, you should lean on your bent knees.
• In this case, the socks take a position above the floor.

With this approach, a novice athlete or a person with insufficient physical training can relieve tension from the lower back and relieve stress on the knee joints. But this lightweight version should be performed only after a short warm-up. You should not immediately start training without warming up. Such behavior can plunge the body into a state of stress, which in the process of doing push-ups is fraught with various types of injuries.

Tips for Newbies

Having decided to change their figure and take up physical activity, many novice athletes quickly leave the race. This is most often due to inflated expectations and improper preparation for the training.

To ensure that your classes are effective, we recommend adhering to the following principles:

• Prepare the muscles of the torso and arms for stress with the help of building exercises (discussed above).
• Stretch your shoulders, elbows, and wrists before each activity to reduce the risk of injury.
• Monitor negative feelings. If left undiagnosed, a minor sprain can lead to serious injury.
• Follow the push-up technique. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the training will be low.
• Do not hurry. Even if you feel that you can do more, follow the plan established in the program.
• Rest as much as needed. If the pause between approaches is prolonged, do not worry - let the muscles recover.
• Don't expect quick results. You won't be able to get a toned torso in just one week. Be patient.

From the wall

This version of push-ups will appeal to those who are not fluent in the classic push-up technique. Therefore, in the initial stages, having firmly decided to make a choice in favor of this type of gymnastics, it is worth starting training by choosing the option not from the floor, but from the wall.

Here are the features of this type of push-up technique:

• First you need to stand against the wall, turning to face it.
• You need to rest your palms on the wall and lift your heels off the floor.

After this, you should do push-ups. When performing, you should pay attention to the fact that your hands work in the process, and the body remains in the same position. The main load falls on the joints. To make the task easier for yourself, you should keep your hands slightly wider than shoulder level.

You should also follow safety precautions. It is important that your hands do not slip off the wall during training. Therefore, in the process of performing gymnastics, it is important to firmly and securely press your palms to the surface.

Wide grip

The essence of this exercise repeats the technique of classic push-ups from the floor. Only in this case there are some peculiarities.

Here are the main ones:

• When performing this exercise, it is important to follow the technique of hand placement. They must be dispersed at such a distance that it is equal to twice the width of the shoulders.
• When doing push-ups, it is important to ensure that your body is in a position parallel to the floor. It is important to transfer the load completely to your hands, which can be placed with your palms or fists on the floor.
• It is important to monitor the position of the toe part of the foot. Toes should touch the floor.

For the first time, it is better to do the exercise in front of a mirror to monitor the correct execution technique. It is important to avoid sagging of the lumbar region and excessive protrusion of the buttocks.

Second block

Push-ups with different variations of emphasis. Hand placement is always at medium width.

1. Classic push-ups on palms.
2. Push-ups on the back of your hands.
3. Fist push-ups.
4. Push-ups placed on the edge of the palm.
5. Push-ups on your fingertips.
6. Push-ups on three fingers on each hand: thumb, index and middle.
7. Push-ups on two fingers: thumb and index.
8. Thumb push-ups (hands clenched into fists).

Photo: istockphoto.com

To pump up the chest muscles

To perform this type of push-up, you should prepare in advance a reliable hill on which you can easily rest your feet while performing the exercise.

• It is important to take an emphasis while lying on the floor and raise your legs to a height.
• Hands, as in the previous case, are at the level of 2 distances from the shoulders.

Now you need to do push-ups. This approach increases the load using your own body weight.

With a medium grip

This type of push-up allows you to work your triceps well. When performing gymnastics on the floor, you should take into account its technical features and in the initial stages you should try to work out complex elements in front of a mirror in order to ensure the correct execution of all elements of the exercise in the future.

• The peculiarity of this variety lies in the position of the arms and legs. The first ones must be placed clearly at shoulder width. The latter rest their toes on the floor at a distance exceeding shoulder width.
• Now it is necessary to lift and lower the body by transferring the body weight to the arms. It is important to monitor your body position. It should be parallel to the floor. If you protrude your buttocks upward or raise your shoulders too much, it will be difficult to achieve the optimal result.

You can complicate the task a little and put your feet on a hill. In this case, due to the influence of your own body weight, it will be possible to improve the result of pumping muscles. If you need to make the task easier, then, on the contrary, you should put your hands on a hill and your feet on the floor.

For shoulder development

With the help of special push-ups, you can pump up the middle and anterior deltoid muscles well. To do this, you need to raise your pelvis and legs as high as possible, that is, stand upside down and press yourself off the floor. In other words, inclined and vertical handstand push-ups are aimed at developing the shoulders.

You should take on them only when you have already worked out the chest and triceps exercise options to perfection. Supporting your weight on your arms is much more difficult than on your legs, so you need to be especially careful here. When performing vertical push-ups, the legs are placed high on a support, which may well be a wall.

With a narrow grip

This exercise is considered one of the most difficult, since its implementation requires excellent physical shape and developed arm muscles. To perform this type of push-up and pump up your deltoids, you should take the correct starting position.

• It is necessary to take an emphasis while lying on the floor. In this case, the hands are placed so close to the chest that adjacent fingers touch each other. If at the initial stages of doing push-ups it will be difficult to do gymnastics, then you can turn your palms inward, which will greatly facilitate the task.
• The toes of the legs are resting on the floor. But they are positioned slightly wider than shoulder width.

Now it's time to do push-ups. First, you should perform a small number of times so as not to overload the body. Five repetitions will be enough. After the first approach, you should rest a little by doing breathing exercises. And then do the exercise 2 more times.

Fourth block

In this block we will look at various variations of burpees.

1. Classic burpee.
2. Burpee with jumping over a curbstone.
   After the push-ups, you need to stand up and jump onto a raised platform. We jump over the pedestal in two stages. First we jump on it and only then we jump on the other side.
3. Backflip burpee.
   The exercise perfectly develops endurance and functional readiness of the body.

How not to do push-ups? 3 common mistakes

Will there be any results if you do 200 push-ups every day? Honest workout challenge

On one hand

This exercise is suitable for those who have already thoroughly improved their gymnastics technique. At the initial stages of development, it is better to choose the classic one or the version using bent knees.

• To perform this technique, you need to take an emphasis while lying down. Now it's all about the correct hand position. It is necessary not to place the supporting one behind your back, but to lean the other one on the surface.
• The legs are located approximately shoulder-width apart and rest the toes against the surface.

When the starting position is accepted, it is time to begin the exercise. It is necessary to lower and rise without touching the surface with your body. Your own weight puts a tremendous strain on the muscles, which allows you to quickly get the desired result. Only at the initial stages of mastering the technique should you not overload. A few repetitions in a couple of sets will be enough.

Challenge with push-ups to pump up your arms and chest

Finish your chest workout with one exercise - at maximum intensity.

In order to effectively pump up your muscles with push-ups, you don’t have to go to a gym full of exercise equipment and equipment. So says Ebenezer Samuel, director of fitness at Men's Health. If you want to get a quality workout for your arms and chest, you don't have to use heavy equipment. Just start doing push-ups.

This challenging push-up challenge will max out your upper body—and not all of your work will go to just your hands. Since you will change the position of your arms, you will be able to strengthen your chest muscles, shoulders, triceps, serratus muscles, and torso, which will be an effective method to train many muscle groups at once.

The simplicity of this challenge makes it an easy option for any athlete. “Extreme bodybuilders will find this a good way to end their workout,” says Samuel. “And for beginners, he can put together an entire workout.”

You can do this challenge anywhere because you don't need any equipment or equipment - only your own body weight works. If you have a few minutes to spare and plenty of room to do push-ups, there's no excuse not to do this workout.