Because it works more than one muscle (or muscle group) at a time, pushups are considered a compound exercise. As you do them, you work your deltoids, located at the top of your shoulders, your pectoral muscles in your chest, your triceps and biceps (front and back of your upper arms), your glutes, and your hip muscles. hip, as well as the erector spinae, which are the long, string-like muscles of the back that run up and down the sides of the spine. As a result, pushups give you a full-body workout in less time, keep your heart rate up, and generally burn more calories than exercises that don’t engage as many muscles.
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Because of its versatility, you can make pushups a part of any bodyweight, circuit training, or strength training exercise session. Plus, modifications and progressions let you make them easier or harder, so you can work on them no matter your fitness level. For more advanced exercisers, if you’re looking for a challenge, try a decline push-up, a 2.0 version of the classic move that will put more emphasis on your shoulders and arms.
What is a decline pushup?
Placing your feet higher than your hands increases the difficulty, explains Katie Kollath, certified trainer and co-founder of Barpath Gym, based in Colorado. He also says that it improves shoulder mobility, as it allows you to access a greater range of motion. “This change in stimulus and increased range of motion can recruit additional muscle fibers and increase strength and muscle mass,” explains Kollath. The higher you lift your feet, the more difficult this exercise becomes. When it gets too easy for you, increase the angle of decline.
How to do a proper decline pushup
To perform a proper decline push-up, you need a bench, chair, step, or other solid object to place your feet on; the support can be as low or as high as you like, but consider making it small at first and increasing the declination angle. as you get stronger.
How: Start on a high board with your feet on your toes and your wrists below your shoulders or slightly wider. “Think of your feet as the pivot point and the rest of your body as the lever that moves as a unit,” says Kollath. Bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor, and when you reach the lowest point, press your palms into the floor to return to the starting position.
Tech Tips
To work your muscles effectively, pushups, like all exercises, require proper form. “Common mistakes include firing hips first when you press away from the ground, says Kollath. “The hips and shoulders should rise at the same time. On the other hand, dropping your belly down and having too much arch in your lower back is another common problem. It is important to find a solid position that is close to a neutral spine.”
If your stomach is sinking and you’re having a hard time exercising your core, it’s a sign that you may not be strong enough to do decline pushups. In that case: “Master regular push-ups first,” Kollath suggests.
Decline push-up variations
If you’ve already mastered decline pushups, luckily, there are more difficult variations to choose from.
- Decline push-up with stability ball. Elevating your feet on an unstable surface will make your core work harder to keep from tipping over.
- Declined one-legged lizard. Raising one leg a few inches in the air further increases the stability challenge and also requires more effort from the obliques to keep the torso straight towards the ground.
- Decline one-armed lizard. Performing single-bow push-ups will also challenge your core (especially your obliques) more, as well as increase the load on your working shoulder and help you build more strength.
- Clapping push-ups declined. When you push back from the ground, push hard enough to raise your hands in the air and clap your hands in front of your chest before performing another rep. Now, with just this help, you will generate energy, but also raise your heart rate higher.
Regardless of your fitness level or fitness goals, you can make push-up variations like the declined push-up work for you.
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