Yo,
Today we’re going to be looking at the oldest compound exercise in the book: the push up.
Push ups are fantastic because it doesn’t matter where you are, you don’t need any equipment to progress through different variations or regress to less challenging variations!
Some things to focus on during the push up:
- Squeeze the glutes! Squeezing the glutes helps maintain core stability and stops the hips from dipping to the ground.
- Keep the core engaged! Imagine you are bracing your stomach to get punched or tickled, you want to maintain that tight/braced feeling. Keeping the core braced will keep your back nice and straight
- Spread your fingers. Spreading your fingers will help you evenly distribute the weight throughout your hand. May not seem important, but by not doing so the weight is unevenly distributed through the hands, forearms, into the shoulders.
- Hand Position. The more narrow you keep your hands under your shoulders, the more recruitment in the triceps, so know your focus. If you want to focus on the triceps a bit more than the Pecs (chest), slide the hands in a bit
Progressions and Regressions:
- Regression – try doing the push-ups from your knees, this will take away some of the body weight you need to push
- Regression – use the stairs! try putting your hands on the stairs in your house, and slowly work closer and closer to the ground
- Progression – put the hands higher up the body, typically in line with the shoulders, try placing hands in line with the chin
- More progressions coming this week so stay tuned!
