Proper Push-Up Modification

One of the most common, and also most challenging, moves with fitness is the push-up.  I know, it sounds silly - how could you qualify a push-up as one of the most challenging moves? Simple - because the push-up requires chest, back, arms, and core strength to be utilized all at once. For an average person at the gym working on their fitness, the chest is one of the most neglected areas; therefore, when attempting to do a proper push-up it is not only difficult, but also more than likely being done extremely wrong.

Form is key in a push-up. If you get your form right, it actually makes the exercise much easier! 

Tips for a Perfect Push-Up:

Push-Up

1) Head in neutral spine: If you were to place a board from the top of your head, down to your heels, it would remain flat. *TIP*: Look 2-3 inches ahead of your finger tips when in the plank position. This will help get your head in the proper position. DO NOT look straight down at the ground or let your chin fall. This is a push-up...not a forehead dip.

2) Squeeze it all in: When you lower into the push-up, there is more to it than just bending your arms. Squeeze your core. Squeeze your thighs. Squeeze your butt. This stabilizes your body, thus making it easier for you to control the down and up movement.

3) Keep hands slightly wider than your shoulders: There are various types of push-up that you can do that will focus on different muscle groups in your arms, but for the standard and for someone just starting out, keep your hands slightly wider than your shoulders - seriously "slightly" means "just a wee tad". Proper arm placement will take the pressure off of the elbow and wrist joints, which typically bear the force of incorrect form, start to hurt, give way, you get it.

The push-up is also able to be modified by simply dropping to your knees. Keep in mind that for proper push-up modification, it is also important to follow the 3 tips found above. In teaching class I see more people dropping their head, keeping their butts in the air, etc. Not only does it look funny, but it is not effective, and also dangerous. If you really want to see if you are doing it the proper way, get in front of a mirror and check yourself out - or have someone film you with your phone.

Below is a great video that I found on YouTube on how to do a proper push-up. Notice that you would simply lower the knees while doing the same motions for a proper modified push-up. Big shoutout to Scott Malin for the creation of this video!



Want additional fitness tips and motivation? Head over to www.facebook.com/nik4213 and give me a Follow for new modifications every Monday!