If you’re interested in stronger muscles, better cardiovascular health, and improved body composition, you may not have to look much further than the floor.
How many push-ups you could do used to be more about bragging rights than health benefits, but push-ups have a lot to say a lot about your health. Including them into your daily routine, or at least performing them multiple times per week, may lead to worthwhile health improvements and a better quality of life.
Push-ups can be great for upper body strength. They do a terrific job activating chest, shoulder, and arm muscles while providing decent engagement through the core and legs. Research has shown doing regular push-ups can improve muscle mass and strength, as well as potentially reduce the risk for a cardiovascular-related event. Push-ups also help protect joints by strengthening the tissue surrounding the shoulder and elbow joints to minimize the potential of pain and increase capability and mobility.
- Standard Pushup (SP): Hands are shoulder-width apart and directly in line with shoulders. Upper body lines up with legs, the body remains rigid throughout the movement.
- Wide Pushup (WP): Distance between hands moves wider than shoulder-width (totaling about twice the total distance).
- Narrow Pushup (NP): Place hands below the center of the breastbone (sternum) with the thumb and forefinger touching, making a triangle. This variety provides the greatest activation of the triceps and chest muscles.
- Forward Pushup (FP): The hands are shoulder-width apart, but roughly 20 centimeters in front of the shoulders. These, along with BP (below), provide proper activation of the back and core.
- Backward Pushup (BP): Hands are shoulder-width apart, but roughly 20 centimeters behind shoulders. This type of push-up activates the most muscle groups of all forms.
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