General Tips: (for all Push-Ups)
- Depending on your fitness level, you can perform a variety of Push-Ups: regular, kneeling, or modified against a wall, bar, counter top, or staircase.
- Begin in the lowered position with your forearms parallel to each other and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- When positioned properly, your thumbs should align near armpit level (think “chicken wings”), ensuring that your elbows do not go directly out to the sides.
- Keeping your body straight and your hips slightly raised, push up to the lifted position by pushing and extending your elbows away from your body.
- When returning to the lowered position, focus on bringing your chest, not your chin, down as low as possible to achieve a full range of motion for all muscles.
- As with each and every exercise, go slowly when lifting weight (in this case your body weight) and super slowly when lowering weight with Eccentrics.
- As with any exercise, always breathe out to relieve blood and thoracic pressures when lifting weight, and breathe normally several times when lowering weight.
- Keep constant resistance on the muscles by not letting your body rest at the bottom and not locking your elbows or pausing at the top.
Specific Tips: (for various variations)
- Standing: Perform standing Push-Ups (wall, bar, counter top, or staircase) with a wide stance and your knees slightly bent to prevent arching your lower back. Bring one foot forward if you need extra help pushing up to the lifted position.
- Kneeling: Though more intense than the standing variety, kneeling Push-Ups are much less intense than regular Push-Ups. Keep your hips slightly raised to prevent your thighs, hips, or abdomen from touching and resting on the floor.
- Extra Eccentrics: If you are not strong enough to lift yourself up, you are probably still strong enough to lower yourself down. For instance, you can use a kneeling Push-Up to get from the lowered to the lifted position, and then a regular Push-Up to slowly return to the lowered position. With standing Push-Ups, after reaching the lowered position, bring one leg forward to help push your body back up to the lifted position. Your primary focus, regardless of variation, should be to lower your weight super slowly. Lifting is secondary.
