Overview:
Push-ups may seem simple but it is one of the top bodyweight exercises. There are ample benefits of push-ups including strengthening of the upper body, core stability, cardiovascular health, and body posture.
This classic exercise requires no equipment and can be performed almost anywhere, making it accessible to people of all fitness levels.
Push-ups primarily target the upper body but when performed in the right way, they use muscles all over the body.
Table of Contents
What muscles do push-ups target?
Push-ups target several muscles of the body including:
- Chest
- Shoulder
- Arms
- Biceps
- Triceps
- Core
- Hips
- Legs
Health benefits of push-ups:
1. Improves Upper-Body Strength:
Push-up is one of the best exercises to build upper body strength. It primarily targets the muscles of your chest, arms, and shoulders.
2. Enhances Your Core Stability:
A strong core is essential for maintaining good posture, balance, and overall stability. When you perform push-ups, it also engages your core muscles (abdominals and lower back) to stabilize your body. Thus it increases your core stability.
3. Boosts Cardiovascular Health:
When you perform push-ups with high repetitions, it elevates your heart rate and increases blood flow which is beneficial for your heart health. Incorporating push-ups into your workout routine can boost your cardiovascular health.
4. Promotes Good Posture:
Modern lifestyles like sitting in the office for long hours or no physical activity have made maintaining a good body posture difficult. Push-ups can help counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting by strengthening the muscles that support proper posture, such as the back, shoulders, and core, thus improving overall posture.
5. Reduces The Risk Of Injury:
Push-ups help you get a stronger chest, back, shoulder, and core, which provide better support and stability to joints thus reducing the risk of injury.
6. Increases Bone Health:
Weight-bearing exercises like push-ups are known to promote bone health. When you perform push-ups, your body weight acts as resistance, stimulating bone growth and density, which can reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Bone density reduces as you age so it’s crucial to incorporate exercises to maintain bone density.
7. Improves Muscle Strength and Endurance:
Regularly performing push-ups can lead to significant gains in muscle strength and endurance, allowing you to perform other activities for longer periods without fatigue. As you progress and increase the number of push-ups, your muscles adapt and grow stronger.
8. Enhances Mood and Energy Levels:
Like any exercise, push-ups release endorphins, a chemical that your body releases when it feels pain or stress, boosting mood and energy levels.
9. Ample Variations:
Push-ups come in several variations like incline push-ups, decline push-ups, wide grip, and narrow grip to target different muscles of the body.
10. Can Be Done Anywhere:
Push-ups could be done anywhere as it does not require any equipment. You just need a little bit of space and your body weight.
How to perform push-ups correctly?
- Starting Position: Begin in a plank position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your arms should be straight, and your hands should be aligned with your shoulders.
- Body Alignment: Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels. Engage your core muscles to keep your body stable throughout the exercise.
- Movement: Lower your body by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your sides. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor or until your elbows form a 90-degree angle.
- Breathing: Inhale as you lower your body towards the floor.
- Pushing Up: Exhale as you push yourself back up to the starting position. Strengthen your arms fully, but avoid locking your elbows.
- Repetition: Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions or time duration.
Common mistakes to avoid during push-ups:
- Don’t sag or arch your back. Keep your back in a straight line with your body.
- Don’t lift or sag your hips too high. Keep them straight with your body.
- Your hands should not be too far forward or backward. Your hands should be aligned with your shoulders.
FAQS:
How many push-ups should you do a day?
3 sets of push-ups with 12 to 15 reps a day is enough to improve upper body strength. However, if you are a beginner, starting with 5, or 6 pushups or whatever is suitable for you a day is okay. Gradually push your limit to avoid any injury or overload in your muscles.
What happens if you do push-ups every day?
If you perform push-ups every day, it will significantly increase your muscle mass, upper body strength, cardiovascular health, posture, and endurance.
Conclusion:
After knowing such amazing benefits of push-ups, incorporating push-ups into your workout routine is a wise choice.
Push-ups are one of the few exercises that target almost all major muscles of your body. The benefits of push-ups range from building muscle strength and endurance to improving cardiovascular health and mental well-being.
To get the most out of push-ups, focus on proper form and gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts.
