A simple and affordable exercise for beautiful chest and shoulder muscles is a push-up. For its implementation, only a horizontal platform is sufficient. Performing push-ups does not require special exercise equipment, such as the barbell press. By the way, push-ups are the reverse of the bench press exercise, but the effect is quite comparable to it.
You can perform push-ups everywhere and for everyone, it has practically no exceptions. The exercise is suitable for any set of workouts, it can be used as a warm-up. It has a simple and understandable technique for everyone, but it is important to build a pose before starting a workout. Push-ups are performed slowly, controlling every muscle in the body. In it, you work only with your own weight.
Muscle
During push-ups, almost all muscles work, but as the main ones, the pectoralis major muscles, deltoid, triceps (triceps of the shoulder) are involved. The muscles of the abdomen, wrists, and joints work as auxiliary muscles.
What are the basic techniques for doing push-ups? These include:
- narrow setting of the hands (no closer than 20 cm between the hands);
- wide setting of the arms (20-30 cm wider than the shoulders);
- classic pose (palms under the shoulder joints).
Keep in mind that by changing the push-up technique, for example, by shortening or lengthening the distance between the palms, you thereby redistribute the load on other muscles!
For example, with a narrow grip, triceps (triceps muscle of the shoulder) and a slightly pectoralis major are trained. With arms wide apart, the main goal is to pump up the chest, that is, the pectoral muscles work.
If they want to increase the strength and volume of muscles, then weights are used. The types of complicated push-ups are:
- with additional weight on the back (full backpack, special vest, pancake from the bar);
- "Diamond" push-ups (the athlete's thumbs and forefingers touch each other, forming a diamond);
- a la "spider-man" (the pose resembles a climbing spider: the leg is bent and directed towards the shoulder at the lowest point);
- push-ups with cotton (plyometric).
Difficult push-ups are suitable for those who have been training for a long time. For beginners, it is better not to include them in the complex at the initial stage of training. When push-ups, make sure that the body is a straight line - a bar. The buttocks should not be the highest point in the lower phase.
Advice
If it is difficult to do at the beginning of classes, then start with push-ups from your knees. Keep every muscle under control. The exercises are performed slowly, but in this case it is better to slow and efficiently than often and incorrectly.
How much to do?
Strength training is not done every day. Why? This is due to the fact that muscle fibers must have time to recover from micro-fractures. Therefore, work in the regime 1-2 times a week for 2-3 sets. There are 8-10 push-ups in a set. Beginners can start with fewer repetitions.
If you want to restore muscle tone, tighten them without pumping any specific muscles, then feel free to choose any technique.
