How To Do A Push Up

Do you do push-ups in your home workout programs?  Do you do them correctly?  If you've ever questioned your push-up form, or just want to know how to do a push-up, watch the video below to start working your chest, shoulders, triceps and core PROPERLY!

By: Ed Scow, NSCA-CPT: Certified Fitness & Nutrition Expert to the True Superheroes - Busy Moms & Dads and author of Fat Loss To Go

Do you do push-ups?

Do you do them regularly?  By that I'm asking if you do them at least 3-4 days per week?

Do you mix up the type of push-ups done?  Do you mix in "T" Push-ups, Decline Push-ups, Close Grip Push-ups, etc.? 

If you're a beginner, and aren't able to do full sets from your toes, are you at least starting from the toes and doing as many as you can before dropping to your knees?

If you're a mom...are you doing 'man' push-ups from your toes or are you stuck in the rut of doing them from your knees?  I can tell you that one of the exercises that brings the biggest smile to my female clients is the moment they are able to do full sets of push-ups from their toes when they never thought it possible, or even necessary.  The joy it brings to their face is priceless.  I'd be a billionaire if that type of joy could be bottled and sold!

The problem that I've seen over the past decade, and over the countless number of clients, is that most people do push-ups incorrectly.  It's not entirely your fault because over the years your body gets out of whack from sitting at a computer for hours, sitting behind the wheel of a car, and plain old misuse.  When this whackness happens, your shoulders get rounded, the muscles surrounding your shoulder joint get tight and weak, which makes it incredibly difficult to keep your arms in proper alignment when wanting to do push-ups.

Not only that, but your core is probably weak - either the abs, low back or entire thing and that makes it nearly impossible to hold your body in a straight line, which is one of the most important aspects of doing proper push-ups.

In order to help you do one of the best bodyweight exercises around, I made a quick video demonstrating how to do push-ups...

How To Do Push-Ups

Make sense?

I'm serious that push-ups are one of the most important exercises in your home workout program.

You are seriously limiting your results if you don't do them...

...and you limit your results even more if you don't do them properly.  If your butt is up in the air and your hands are way out in front of your face and you pump away from the elbows...that's NOT a push-up :)

In the same token, if you can't hold your body in a straight line from ears to ankles and your low back sways like an old horse, that too is NOT a push-up.

If you want to know how to do a push-up properly, then you should definitely watch that video and then practice, practice, practice.  If your form is way out of whack, then think about the points I shared in the video and keep go through a mental checklist before beginning your set.

Think to yourself:

"Are my hands straight down from my shoulders?"

"Is my stomach braced and tight?"

"Is my body in a straight line from my ears to my ankles with my butt in line?"

Once you get that down, you then need to move from your shoulders and elbows - don't just try to move the elbows.

Lower yourself as far down as you can and then concentrate on squeezing your chest muscles (pecs) to press yourself back up.

If you can only lower yourself a few inches, that's fine.  Just work on getting better every week and maybe even work in different types of push-ups like Negative Only push-ups where you only focus on the lowering portion and go super slow. 

You could also try Positive Only push-ups where you start off with your chest on the ground in the "bottom" position of the push-up and focus only on pressing to the top.  Both of these styles help fix your weak points and develop active flexibility and strength in your shoulder joint.

So if you've ever wonderd how to do a push-up, give that video a watch, utilize those tips and tricks and get on with your merry way!  Push-ups must be done...and must be done correctly!