Weightlifting Technique: How to Perform Pushups

Muscles Exercised:

Pushups are a simple, effective compound exercise to work your chest and triceps. Although not as effective as bench press for chest or dips for triceps, pushups are simple to do, can be done anywhere, and don’t require any equipment.

Exercise Technique

• When performed properly, you should feel your pectoral and tricep muscles begin to burn as you complete your set. During the pushup, only your arms should be moving, rotating at your shoulders and elbows. The rest of your body, from head to heel, should remain rigid.
• Your body should remain rigid throughout the exercise. Your body should be in a perfectly straight line from your head, down your spine and the back of your legs. As you lower and raise your body, it should remain rigid and in a straight line.
• Keep your lats tight during the exercise. This will help add stability in your upper body; it will also give you more power as you begin to push up.
• Lower your body in a controlled manner until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle, and your upper arms are parallel with the floor
• Press with your pectoral and lat muscles to raise your body. Lock your arms out using your triceps just as you would lock a bar out if you were bench pressing.
• Do not lower your head during the exercise; this will give you the impression you are lowering your body farther than you actually are.
• Do not elevate your buttocks during the exercise.
• If you cannot perform pushups with strict form, you may want to perform them with your knees on the floor. Make sure your body still remains in a straight line from your head, down your spine and legs to your knees.
• Perform as many repetitions as you can do while maintaining proper form. Do not cheat on your technique to complete additional repetitions.
• To increase the number of pushups you are able to do, try performing three sets of pushups, each set to failure, with a short (30 to 60 second) break between each set

Variations

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