Pushups are one of those exercises that you can either do or not do. If you are doing them on your knees……stop! If you want to do a real pushup, you need to start by doing a real pushup. Knee pushups actually work different muscle groups than real pushups, so you will probably never build the strength to do a real one. Why do a real pushup? Because you will build the most sexiest arms and back ever! That’s why! And…did you know that real pushups work your core muscles too. I realized that while doing pushups pregnant. I could feel my core muscles contracting. And no, you will not look like a man if you do pushups. Unless you are taking testosterone and injecting steroids into your body, pushups will make your upper body look so super sexy and amazing. I know first hand the benefits of pushups. I have seen my body and my clients’ bodies change from doing them. So, come on ladies…get off your knees (that sounds bad) and let’s do pushups!
Benefits of pushups:
- Increase upper body strength
- Mainly target core, triceps, shoulders, and chest.
- Tone arms and shoulders/muscle definition.
- Increase functional strength.
- Prevent your shoulders and lower back from injury.
- No cost/save time doing pushups. (require no fancy equipment)
- Improve your posture
Perfect pushup form:
Start in a plank position. Head and spine neutral. Hands shoulder length apart Clench your abs and glutes (squeeze butt and gut). This will help to align your body. Now lower your body to the floor, elbows should be close to your body, chest to the floor, then push up.
If you can’t do a pushup:
Like I said earlier, if you can’t do a pushup, don’t do them on your knees. Instead, do them on an incline. You can start by doing them with hands on a wall or bench. The key to strengthening your body, to do a real pushup, is to do them in a plank position. So, doing them on an incline will help to strengthen your body to do real pushups. Also, you must work to strengthen the shoulder and tricep muscles. Overhead presses, tricep kick backs, etc…. are great for this!
If you can do a real pushup:
Awesome! Keep doing them! Do them on one foot, do spiderman pushups, do plyo pushups…just keep doing pushups.
