WHAT IS PUSHUPS BENAFITS OF THE PUSHUPS ALL ABOUT

The push-up engages your body from top to bottom. It works several muscle groups at once: the arms, chest, abdomen (core), hips, and legs. Push-ups also can be modified as needed. “By adjusting the speed you perform a push-up, the angle of your body, and even hand placement, you can add more or less intensity, or focus on specific muscles,” says Dr. Phillips. A study published in the February 2016 issue of the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that the chest muscle activity was greater when push-ups were performed with the hands placed halfway inward from their normal position. Hands placed outward work the triceps more. The perfect form To maximize what push-ups can offer, you should perform them correctly. Begin in a full plank position with your arms extended, palms flat and just below shoulder level, feet together or about 12 inches of apart, resting on the balls of your feet. Keep your back straight and your weight evenly distributed. Look down and lower your body until your elbows are at 90 degrees (or go to the floor to rest, if needed), and then push back up to complete one rep. Try to take two seconds to go down and one second to go up. If this is too difficult, perform from a hands and knees position. You can also do inclined push-ups, where you place your hands on a counter or wall and lean forward at a 45-degree angle. “You can still engage the core and work your arms and chest, while you place less weight on the wrists and shoulders,” says Dr. Phillips. With a regular push-up, you lift about 50% to 75% of your body weight. (The actual percentage varies depending on the person’s body shape and weight.) Modifications like knee and inclined push-ups use about 36% to 45% of your body weight.