Discover the benefits of push-ups and how often to do them.
Learn about how to do one with correct form, tips, muscles worked, and more.
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Push-ups are one of the most basic exercises out there.
Elisabeth Akinwale, CPT, is a CrossFit Athlete, CrossFit Coach, and gymnast.
But theyre by no means easy.
Were practicing how the shoulder blades move, Larson says.
When you stand up after a set of push-ups, more likely than not, youll be standing tall.
Thats a major difference.
But the exercise proved to be an incredibly reliable marker of heart health.
They build whole-body coordination
You cant perform a push-up just by relying on one part of your body.
Its an entire core workout, which people dont realize, says ISSA-certified celebrity fitness trainerJenna Willis.
And Im talking about your abs, back, and glutes.
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A lot of people forget that push-ups are afunctional movement, Willis says.
Its a movement that we use every single day.
Theyre super accessible
Not only can you do push-ups anywhere, any time, without equipment.
Larson points out most people can find a version of push-up that works for their body.
There are so many variations of push-ups and theyre allrealpush-ups, she says.
Theyre very scalable, she says.
You kind of look like a certified badass when youre able to bust out some push-ups, Willis says.
There are so many variations of push-ups and theyre allrealpush-ups.
The incline will lighten how much weight youre moving up and down.
As you get comfortable, get lower.
And then maybe to the floor, Larson says.
That bottom range is where it gets dicey, Larson points out.
Willis suggests looping a resistance band around your elbows.
As you do a push-up, youll literally fall into the resistance band, she says.
Akinwale suggests still finishing knee push-ups in plank position, however, to get that full-body engagement.
When it clicks into place, its actually so often not about pure strength.
Its really about the mechanics combined with strength, she says.
Watch yourself.Akinwale suggests filming yourself or using a mirror to check that your positioning hits all the above boxes.
Otherwise, youre building on a poor foundation, she says.
FAQ
1.
How many push-ups should you do a day?
The number of push-ups you shoot for depends on your personal goals and what youre working on.
But Akinwale says a good goal is 7 to 10 high-quality push-ups.
The key, Willis reiterates, is high-quality.
Stop as soon as your form starts to deteriorate, otherwise you could injure yourself.
What happens if I do push-ups every day?
Theres nothing wrong withdoing push-ups daily, but you might start to get sore.
I dont think theres really any inherent risk there.
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