Benefits Of Pushups – Proper Form & Variation

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ushups are timeless strengthening exercise which is all our old school, may be still further, our first childhood exercise. If I am not wrong, the thought of performing a pushup conjures

memories of childhood for many. Funny isn’t it, as we grow, we totally set aside the goodness of certain activities which did unknowingly as children.  

It’s time to pull back what we have set back, inculcate and enjoy the fitness benefits of pushups…

Pushups are a testament to the fact that you can build muscle mass and increase muscle strength without picking up a set of dumbbells or a barbell. If you’re a fitness freak and interested in easy to do bodyweight exercise, give this blog a quick read through…

Something which everyone will appreciate about pushups is they are free to do, meaning you won’t require any gym membership, absolutely don’t have to spend any money. Pushups are workouts you can do without the need of any equipment, this exercise can be done anywhere you find the floor space. Pushups are compound exercises which work a large group of muscles, improve flexibility, posture, burns calories, increases functional strength and more.

How To Perform Pushups?

Pushups are one of the many techniques that have been used over the years in an attempt to enhance performance and improve fitness.

The term pushups stem from the simple physical act of pushing yourself to the ground and then pulling yourself up from the ground.

• Lie on your chest and abdomen, with your arms bent and palms flat, with fingers facing forwards on the floor alongside the chest.

• Your elbows should be facing backwards.

• The length of your body should be in a straight line from head to toe.

• The starting pushup position should look like a solid plank on your hands instead of your elbows.

• Engage your core, glutes and hamstrings. This will keep your back flat and spine neutral.

• Now, lower yourself towards the ground as far as you can go while keeping your form.

• Then, push yourself back up until your arms are fully extended and you’re back again in the starting position.

PUSHUPS ARE A GREAT WAY TO ADD DEFINITION TO YOUR UPPER BODY

Strength and endurance in the muscle of upper body, specially the chest, shoulder, triceps and core is a good indication of overall fitness. Upper body strength is particularly essential for athletes such as swimmers, golfers, weight lifters who demand strength and power.

Pushups are the best resistance-based bodyweight movement that are considered to be one of the most effective chest exercise. The effective strength workout uses the body’s own weight to build fitness foundation.

• They work multiple muscle groups and hence classify as a compound exercise.

• They promote strength, balance and stability by developing several key muscles, including pectoralis major in chest, deltoid or shoulder muscles, scapular and rotator cuff, triceps located on the upper arm and upper back muscles.

• Pushups will strengthen your core muscles particularly rectus abdominus and transverse abdominus. While certain core moves focus primarily on the abs, a properly performed pushup targets some of the lesser-known muscles in your core, like transverse abdominus (the deepest core muscle that helps support your spine), multifidus (a series of small muscles that run along the spine).

• Pushups will strengthen your wrists, forearms, elbows, upper arms, shoulders and promote stronger bones. They are a fantastic way to add muscle mass to the upper, middle and lower pecs, so you can build a fuller, more solid and tighter chest without needing to lift weight at the gym.

• Pushups work your deltoids, which when developed, will make your biceps and shoulders look larger and more defined.

PUSHUPS IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY

Having flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Pushups provide deep stretch in your muscles which helps to warm them up.

Stretching isn’t just important before and after exercising, but it can also be pretty effective during exercise.

• When you do a pushup, it stretches your biceps fully from one end of the spectrum to the other. This is because when you lower yourself to get as close to the ground as possible, your bicep muscle contract and then when you raise yourself, your biceps are fully extended.

• Pushup will benefit those who lift weights and often tend to suffer from injuries in their biceps. The stretching effect it provides is one of the number one ways to prevent exercise-related injuries. Next time, you want to lift some weights, do few pushups first because pushups will pump your blood flow, and limber up those biceps and keep your muscles from getting tight.

• Pushups stretch your back muscles when you lower yourself to the ground. This is a great way to prevent injuries due to a tight back. Pushups engage your back muscles throughout to keep them straight and upright.

• The deep stretch what pushups provide to your biceps and back muscles improves flexibility and well-stretched muscles feature a solid and attractive appearance.

• Performing pushups help to lengthen muscles that were tightened up during the lifting session. Along with biceps and back muscles, pushups also focus on chest muscles and hip flexors as they tend to be tight on most individuals due to sedentary lifestyle.

PUSHUPS IMPROVE POSTURE

Bad posture is often down to a weak core and poor shoulder strength. Doing long hours of a desk job can compromise with your posture to quite an extent due to weakened core muscles. Having bad posture or a back that is slouched over can cause pain and even some serious back issues in the future.

• Pushups allow you to stay straight and upright much easier during your everyday tasks. Your posture will get better when you sit and stand upright. Pushups make you hold your body in a rigid position, and emphasize stability.

• If you keep your core muscles engaged and don’t arch your back muscles while performing pushups, it allows you to practice proper posture.

• Pushups when performed properly will activate your core muscles and help them become stronger. The stronger the core muscle you have, the better would be your posture.

• Another big benefit that you get from doing pushups regularly is that it provides you with far superior shoulder strength. A strong back and a strong core go a long way in improving your posture.

• The compound exercises let you tone your body in a limited amount of time without having to do a whole bunch of different exercises that can end up being very time-consuming.

PUSHUPS HELP BURN CALORIES

Pushups although are not counted under the fat-burning exercise, they can help you burn calories. This exercise demands you to put in a great deal of energy and that energy is actually calories. What this conveys is, if you increase the intensity of pushups, the more energy you put in, and eventually, the more calories you burn.

The number of pushups you can do in a given time will determine your total calorie output. The faster and more correctly you perform them, the more calories you’ll burn.

Pushups easily build muscles and strength, the more muscles you have, the higher is your resting metabolic rate.

By working on a larger number of muscles in your body, pushups help tremendously for a fitter you…

The number of pushups you can do isn’t what’s really important…the real benefits come from moving through the full range of motion…

Also read: 9 Must To Know Super Health Benefits Of Moringa Powder

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