Southern Mail senior reporter ROSHAN ABRAHAMS, who is also a qualified personal trainer, has launched a fitness and health column, Fit Foundations, to help you kickstart your fitness journey. In part five this week, she focuses on push-ups.
What is a push-up? This exercise has been generally used in many workouts and it is ranked one of the top bodyweight exercises for targeting muscles of the upper body and core.
While most people are familiar with the push-up, some may be unsure of exactly which muscles the exercise works.
Push-ups are a simple and effective bodyweight movement that target your triceps (back of your upper arms) and core midsection (abs, obliques, and lower back) and well as your pectoral muscles in your chest.
You don’t need any equipment to get started with push-ups and you can do it anywhere in and around the house. They’re suitable for beginners and people who are more advanced with exercise.
When the core muscles are activated, they help keep your spine straight to allow for good form when performing the push-up.
Many aerobic exercise workouts include push-ups and more than a few reps (repetition) can get your heart pumping and increase energy metabolism, resulting in more calories burned. This could lead to benefits like increased fat loss alongside a suitable diet.
Regularly performing push-ups comes with several potential benefits, including building upper body strength and improving body posture.
I personally love push-ups. If you cannot go to the gym, a quick body weight push-up workout using different variations including wide hands push-up, triangle (diamond) push-up and pike push-up, can be just as effective as the equipment used in the gym.
How to do the standard push-up
Start in a high plank position with your arms extended and palms positioned on the floor at shoulder width.
Plant your toes on the floor in line with your legs.
Engage your core muscles, glutes, and legs to align your spine.
Maintain a straight back and bend your elbows to descend in a gradual, controlled motion, just until your chest grazes the floor.
Keep your elbows tucked close to your sides throughout the movement.
While exhaling, push your palms towards the floor to return yourself to the starting position. Focus on contracting the chest and tricep muscles while keeping your core tight.
Repeat for the desired amount of reps and sets.
Knee push-ups (for beginners)
This variation is excellent for beginners who are still developing the upper body strength required to do a regular push-up.
Doing push-ups on your knees reduces the resistance, making the movement easier to perform.
To perform a knee push-up, start in a modified high plank position. Instead of planting your toes on the floor, hold yourself up on your knees.
From there, perform the movement just like a standard push-up. Ensure your back remains straight and keep your elbows slightly tucked on the upward portion.
The incline or desk push-up
Place your hands on a secure elevated surface such as a bench or desk.
Keep your legs straight and hip-width apart.
Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Grip the elevated surface with your hands, and rotate your shoulders outward.
Move downward with your chest towards your hands by bending your elbows.
Your elbows should be 45-degrees away from your body, and your wrists should be under your elbows.
Pause for a second at the bottom of the movement.
Push upwards while squeezing your chest, triceps and straightening your elbows.
Repeat two or four times.
To check out the step-by-step video on how to do a squat, visit https://www.southernmail.co.za
• If you have questions or suggestions, email roshan.abrahams@acm.co.za
Previous columns:
It’s never too late to start your fitness journey
