Push-ups and presses at home. An effective push-up training program at home

Olya Likhacheva

Beauty is like a precious stone: the simpler it is, the more precious it is:)

There is a whole range of exercises that do not require going to the gym to maintain a beautiful figure and strong muscles. Classic push-ups, known from school physical education lessons, with a well-chosen program (number of approaches, types of presses) can be an excellent daily workout.

What do push-ups do?

These exercises are a great way to build a strong and beautiful muscle frame. The training block is selected for any age and gender. Many people believe that this type of exercise trains only a small number of muscles, but when the emphasis shifts (supporting positions of the arms and legs), the whole body is involved in the work. Actively pressing your own body from the floor makes you work:

• large chest muscles;
• triceps muscles (triceps);
• biceps muscles (biceps);
• deltoid muscles;
• Serratus anterior muscles (muscles of the lateral chest and upper ribs).

In addition to forming and strengthening the muscular frame, push-ups, like any properly constructed physical activity, develop proper breathing, lung function, improve blood flow in all parts of the body, strengthen ligaments and joints, and saturate the body’s tissues with oxygen. There is no age limit: even children can do push-ups under adult supervision.

For men

Standard push-ups with a properly designed program will allow any man to form a strong, attractive body. In combination with a diet, you can achieve the classic advertised body contour, which is actively promoted by modern mass culture. It is also worth noting the enormous benefits of these exercises for those who engage in martial arts: the joints of the hands, back muscles and abdominal muscles are strengthened, some push-ups qualitatively develop endurance.

For women

Although many people consider this type of training to be purely masculine, it is ideal for shaping an attractive female body. Naturally, the number of approaches and types of exercises will differ from the men's set, but with a properly designed program you can achieve quick and noticeable results. In addition to general physical benefits, exercise will help in the following aspects:

• the load on the forearms prevents sagging and sagging skin;
• excess weight is lost due to active burning of calories;
• correct posture is formed;
• the pectoral muscles are strengthened, which improves the shape and tone of the female breast;
• the upper abdominal muscles form an attractive flat stomach.

Types of push-ups

There are many varieties of push-ups depending on which muscle groups are emphasized. We must remember that you cannot thinklessly approach training and immediately try to perform exercises with weights or on weak muscles. The easiest consequence will be severe soreness a few hours after the approaches, but an unprepared person can also get serious injuries. It is better to start with classic push-ups, and after gradually strengthening the body, complicate the exercises and the load on the body.

Classic

The exercise technique is familiar from school physical education (the natural position of the body when a person wants to rise from such a position). The lying position is supported on the toes (feet together or slightly apart) and open palms. Place your palms slightly wider than your shoulders. The ideal execution is to touch the floor with your chest and chin, look in front of you. The deltoid muscles, triceps, and deltoids are worked out. After a few weeks you can already increase the level of difficulty.

With weights

These push-ups are used by those involved in strength sports. Their focus is designed for the deep development of muscle tissue more than for the formation of relief. It is important to remember that weights cannot be done instantly, that is, on some day, add 10 kilos of additional weight to yourself in the approach. Ideally, when the load is increased, special vests are used, the weights of which can be changed (they are tailored to distribute the load throughout the body as comfortably as possible).

In the gym, you can use a barbell plate, which a partner will place on the trainee’s back and make sure that the load does not fall. A bench press with a girl lying on the athlete's back is often a simple show. Such an extra the load (40-50 kg) is actually beyond the strength of the average person. To reach this level, you need to train long and professionally.

Deep push-ups

This technique is designed for maximum efficiency in working out muscles with a large vertical amplitude. To do this, the level of the floor (the lowest point during the press) is lowered. In the gyms you can often find athletes who perform exercises using chairs or dumbbells with wide weights. This can cause injury because the supports are unstable. The ideal solution would be to purchase special handles from a sports store to increase the amplitude.

Slow push-ups

From the name it is clear that the exercise (of any type) is done at a slow pace. Its meaning is that endurance is trained without weights, and strength is trained with additional weight. The key to slow presses is continuity. This means that you do not need to stop at the bottom and peak points of the arm curl, but immediately begin the reverse movement. Each person chooses a speed different from standard push-ups, based on the fact that 8-10 repetitions should be done.

From my knees

A simplified form of classic push-ups, which is designed for beginners, older people and those who have contraindications to standard exercises. They differ from basic exercises in that the emphasis is not on the toes, but on the knees, while the feet need to be crossed. Studies have shown that the useful load on the spine is reduced by approximately 15%. The press itself is no different from regular push-ups.

Wide grip

To emphasize the load on the pectoral muscles, a wide grip is used: the hands rest on the floor at a distance twice as wide as the shoulders, the elbows diverge to the sides when lowering down. Weightening of this exercise occurs by raising your legs on a bench or stand. Raising the fulcrum of the feet 60 cm from the floor will increase the load to 75% of the athlete’s weight. It is important to constantly keep your back straight and not allow your stomach to sag, otherwise the meaning of the press is completely lost.

With a medium grip

This grip will help pump up your triceps if done correctly. The palms are positioned exactly shoulder-width apart, and when lowering the body, the elbows move parallel to the body, pressing as close to it as possible. Weightening or simplifying the exercise follows the same pattern as for classic push-ups (adding weights, raising the fulcrum of the legs or kneeling).

With a narrow grip

One of the most difficult push-up variations. The emphasis is on the palms (slightly turned outward), which are located at the point corresponding to the middle of the chest. Feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. At the lowest point, the sternum should touch the fingers. In this position, the exercise gives maximum load to the triceps and the front part of the deltoid muscle.

On one hand

Another difficult exercise designed for trained athletes. For those who are just starting training, it is better not to even try to do such a press, because there is a high probability of breaking the supporting arm. In this case, the person will simply hit his face on the floor from a height of half a meter. Correct execution: the supporting hand is in line with the body, the second is placed behind the back; legs spread wide to provide balance. At the lowest point, the chest touches the floor; in the reverse movement, the shoulders are kept parallel to the floor.

On fingers

This emphasis strengthens the hand and all its joints. The type of push-up in this case is not important (the only exception is a narrow grip, since it is extremely difficult to position your fingers comfortably). In order to understand whether you can do a push-up, you should stand for a while in the starting position. If your fingers are tired and start to hurt in the first seconds, then it is better to abandon the exercise and work with an expander to strengthen the hand.

How to do push-ups correctly

The main mistake of all beginners is their neglect of the technique. At best, incorrect body position will lead to the absence of a clear result even after many months of training. At worst, it can lead to muscle strain, ligament and joint injuries, and accidents. Correct push-ups include:

• mandatory warm-up of the whole body before starting exercises, special attention is paid to the hands and shoulder joints;
• correct placement of the palms, feet and neck (chin at chest level);
• It is recommended to use special wrist bands;
• with any type of push-ups, the back remains straight, the entire body forms a single straight line: neck, back, hips, heels;
• correct breathing: the downward movement occurs while inhaling, returning to straight arms – while exhaling;
• regularity of training: one approach per month, even a hundred presses, will not give any effect;
• correct selection of load frequency: there is no point in working hard in one approach when you can break the workout into several stages.

How to do push-ups better

For beginners and people with problematic health (lower back, joint diseases), it is better to start with classic push-ups, from the knees, without weights and at medium speed. You can and should make adjustments to the descriptions of positions when performing an exercise based on your own anatomy. The bench press should not cause discomfort or pain. Over time, if a person feels confident in his strength, he can move on to more complex types of push-ups. Separately, it is worth mentioning proper nutrition: for normal muscle functioning, a complete diet is required.

How many times

The most common problem of those who decide to start doing push-ups is to immediately do the maximum number of push-ups and fall to the floor, suffocating from fatigue. The number of sets and repetitions is determined solely individually. Ideally, find a coach and ask him to create a program. The table of push-ups from the floor is independently formed based on the actual limit. For example, if the repetition ceiling is 10 presses, then you need to include 8 in the set, decreasing to 5 in the last approach, so that the muscles have a reserve of strength during the rest period.

How often

Experts agree that an untrained person should begin a course of push-ups every other day in order to understand the state of the muscle frame and avoid overstrain, i.e. 3-4 lessons per week. After a month, a daily training plan is formed. It is important to remember that if there are minimal injuries, you need to stop and wait for healing, so as not to provoke the development of pathologies.

The most effective push-ups

The effectiveness of the body press for a specific muscle or target is directly dependent on the types of exercises and their combinations. The main thing to remember is that intense rocking of a particular part of the body will weaken the rest. During training, you need to alternate types of push-ups and other exercises for a holistic effect on the body. Push-up technique for muscle growth and relief formation:

Push-up program

A correctly designed system of push-ups is the number of approaches, alternating loads and rest, and frequency of execution. It will not only protect you from injuries during execution, but will also give maximum results. Ideally, the training program should be compiled by a professional trainer, based on the results of a test workout, but you can write it yourself. It is important to stick to the program and avoid skipping, incorrect loads, and alternate with strength exercises, otherwise the benefits will tend to zero.

Video

Push-ups are one of the most common exercises because they are quite effective and do not require any additional equipment. In addition, the technique is quite simple and does not require long learning with a trainer. Nevertheless, there are a lot of nuances in push-ups that will expand the functionality and make them more effective. After all, if you know how to do push-ups correctly, you can achieve good results in building body muscles without spending money on an expensive gym membership. Moreover, not everyone has the time or opportunity to go there.

Push-up technique and its features

Probably each of us has done this at least once in our lives. Therefore, almost everyone knows, from gender. However, there are a number of specific techniques that are worth learning to expand your exercise arsenal. This will allow you to have the most comprehensive effect on the muscles of the shoulder girdle. So, to do a proper push-up, take the appropriate starting position. To do this you need to do the following:

• Move to a horizontal position and place your straight arms on the floor.
• The entire body should form a straight line.
• You should not lower or, conversely, raise your head, as this can lead to strained neck muscles or injury to the cervical vertebrae.
• Tighten your buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles to stabilize your torso as much as possible.
• Bend your arms and lower yourself down. In the lower position, you need to touch the floor with your chest. If you cannot do this yet, use simplified push-ups, which will be discussed later.
• When you rise up, do not fully extend your elbows. First, it will help you maintain tension in your pectoral muscles, thereby accelerating their development. Secondly, full extension of the elbows in this position can cause injury to the elbow joints.

Correctly performing push-ups is guaranteed to help you develop muscle groups such as:

• Triceps. Their function is to extend the arm; accordingly, they tense in any movement that extends the arm.
• Pectoral muscles. Their function is to bring the arm, which is perpendicular to the spinal column, to the body. Therefore, any exercise that imitates this movement serves to develop this muscle group.
• Deltoid muscles, namely their anterior bundle. This part of the shoulder muscle is responsible for raising your arm in front of you. Therefore, any movement in which the arms are in front of the body develops it.

Correct breathing when doing push-ups

So, you already know how to do push-ups correctly. But that is not all. The correct technique of push-ups from the floor implies not only their implementation, but also correct breathing, which is important, especially for the development of the heart muscle, because improper breathing can negatively affect it. Correct breathing when doing push-ups looks like this: as you go down, take a deep breath, and your stomach should inflate somewhat. You need to exhale at the most difficult upper part of the climb. It is also allowed to exhale slowly throughout the entire lifting of the body. Remember - holding your breath while performing the exercise is strictly prohibited! This can lead to excess pressure and, as a result, cause a persistent increase in blood pressure. And in severe cases, damage to the blood vessels of the brain may even develop. If you make such a mistake systematically, hypertension may occur over time.

Types of push-ups

Today there are a great variety of different ones, each of which serves a specific purpose. So, for people who practice martial arts, the so-called “explosive” push-ups are best suited. If your goal is to build muscle mass, it is best to use additional weights and work in the 8-12 rep range. If you don’t yet know how to do proper push-ups and have never practiced this exercise, you should start with push-ups for beginners. Today, the most common types of push-ups are:

• Classic.
• From the wall and from your knees.
• For the triceps muscles.
• For the pectoral muscles.
• On fists or fingertips.
• On one hand.
• Explosive.
• Circular.
• With steps.
• Different names.
• Upside down.
• On supports.
• With weights

Of course, there are a huge variety of push-ups, but the most common ones have been listed here.

Push-ups for beginners

If you have never tried push-ups and don’t know how to do push-ups from the floor correctly, or you tried but didn’t succeed, you need to use the so-called push-ups for beginners. If your arms and chest are very weak, you should start doing push-ups not from the floor, but from the wall. This is done like this: you stand near the wall at a slight angle and begin to do push-ups. Once you have mastered this exercise and can do it 20-30 times, you can increase the incline angle. Gradually your muscles will become stronger and you will be able to do push-ups from the floor. It is advisable to start and then move on to full classic push-ups. To learn how to do push-ups from your knees, start in the same position as a classic push-up and then get on your knees. As soon as you can perform 20-30 repetitions in this way, feel free to move on to the classic exercise - you are completely ready for it.

Usually girls complain about weakness and breasts, so it will be especially useful for them to follow this scheme for the development of these muscle groups. After you can confidently work out 3-4 approaches in the classic version, you can use a variety of complicated types of push-ups.

Advanced push-up variations

As mentioned earlier, once you can perform the classic push-up correctly for a sufficient number of repetitions, you can try to make the exercise more difficult to increase its effectiveness. Different types of advanced exercises can serve a specific purpose or simply add variety to your training routine. In any case, this will help you work on different areas of the muscles so that they develop as harmoniously as possible.

Push-ups for martial arts

If you are a martial arts fan and are seriously pursuing the path of transforming your body into the ultimate fighting machine, you will need to make some modifications to the classic push-up to tailor it to your goals. For a person who practices martial arts, muscle mass is not too important. Much more important things for a fighter are parameters such as endurance, strength and strike speed. All these qualities will more than help develop simple push-ups. You just need to do everything right. You ask: which is correct? Push-ups need to be done in large quantities - and your endurance will definitely increase.

With the force and speed of the impact, things are somewhat more complicated. But here too there is one modification that will help you develop these characteristics. These are explosive, or jumping, push-ups. To perform this exercise, take the same starting position as for classic push-ups. Slowly lower yourself down, and then push off the floor with a powerful and sharp movement so that your body flies up. After the body goes down under the influence of gravity, lower yourself onto your hands and perform the next repetition again. Particularly strong athletes make this type of push-up even more difficult. During the flight phase, they use hand clapping and other similar tricks. Also, jumping in this way onto a height, for example, onto two step platforms or weight plates, has a serious effect. Nothing limits you here except your imagination. Jumping push-ups are guaranteed to increase your hitting speed. Don't forget about fist push-ups either. They can significantly strengthen your fists and make them less sensitive to blows.

Push-ups to build muscle mass

If you want to increase the volume of the muscles of the shoulder girdle, classic push-ups will not help you with this, since they are quite simple. It costs nothing for a trained person to do 50 repetitions in 3-4 approaches. But such a number of repetitions, as is known, only increases strength endurance. To increase muscle mass, you need to be able to do 10-12 push-ups without being able to do another rep. This is achieved by using additional weights. The size of the weight depends entirely on your fitness. The main thing is that you can perform no more than 12 repetitions. You can use barbell plates as weights. If you don't have them, use any heavy objects that you can put on your back. An interesting solution could be a backpack with some heavy things. Also, as an option, you can use a partner who will put pressure on you with their weight.

After performing push-ups with weights, you can perform the same exercise, but on supports. Any object can serve as a support, for example, two stools or stacks of books. Push-ups on supports will allow you to stretch the pectoral muscles a little more, and as you know, they are most actively involved in work when they are initially in the most stretched position. This type of push-up will help you effectively “hammer” your pectoral muscles and ensure their growth.

Often in athletes, the lagging part of the pectoral muscles is their upper segment. To focus on it, it is recommended to use push-ups with supported legs in your training. In this case, the legs are higher than the head, and the maximum load falls on the upper part of the pectoral muscles.

Push-ups to develop different muscle groups

As already mentioned, during push-ups, three muscle groups actively work - triceps, pectoral and anterior deltoids. But you can place special emphasis on any of these muscle groups. To do this, you will simply need to slightly modify the classic exercise. Proper push-ups of one type or another are guaranteed to allow you to tighten up the lagging muscle group.

Triceps push-ups

The triceps performs the function of extending the arm at the elbow joint, which means that you need to activate this part of the push-ups as much as possible. To do this, in the starting position you need to place your hands narrower than shoulder width. As you lower yourself, try to keep your elbows close to your sides as much as possible and make sure they don't move apart. After doing a few repetitions with the correct technique, you will immediately feel the triceps working, and this is exactly what was needed. You can make triceps push-ups a little more difficult if you place your hands as close as possible so that your palms touch each other. It is extremely difficult to rise from this position, but the effect is immediate - your triceps will burn with fire.

Pectoral push-ups

The pectoral muscles, as we have already said, bring the arm to the body. This means, logically, the correct push-up for the pectoral muscles will look like this: in the starting position for classic push-ups, change the position of your hands. You want them to be wider than shoulder-width apart and still perpendicular to the body. In this case, the breasts will receive maximum stimulation. To make the exercise even more difficult, you can spread your palms to the side, which will further complicate the work of the pectoral muscles. Push-ups on supports and an exercise in which the legs are higher than the head also develop them well. We have already written about them earlier.

Sample training program

In order to develop all the muscles of your body as harmoniously as possible, push-ups must be combined with other exercises, such as pull-ups for the back muscles, squats for the legs and crunches for the abs. Only then will you be able to develop in the right direction.

It would be optimal to exercise about 3-4 times a week. More often it is not worth it, since the muscles will not have time to recover. It is worth sticking to the technique and performing only the correct push-ups from the floor. Do not do approaches too often; take a sufficient break between them. If you can easily perform 20-30 repetitions in the classical style, we can recommend this training scheme.

The program will allow you to significantly improve your and increase the number of push-ups you perform. After you complete this program, you will be able to surprise your friends and acquaintances by doing 100-200 push-ups in a row. If you have set other goals for yourself, you can create a program for yourself, using the recommendations that were given earlier.

So, in each workout you will perform 5 sets of push-ups. Rest 30-45 seconds between sets. In the first week, start with 20 repetitions per set and gradually lower the number of repetitions to 10. After that, increase the number of repetitions by 5 weekly. If in any week you were not able to complete the planned number of repetitions, do not despair. Just increase the number of repetitions next week. As a result, after 3-4 months you can easily perform 100 push-ups. After this, you can try to complicate this exercise. Experiment, try different options, combine different types of training - and your body will respond to this with muscle development and good health.

Many people want to look fit, slim and be in excellent physical shape. But, unfortunately, not everyone wants or can, due to certain circumstances, visit the gym or set up a sports corner at home. This won't be necessary if you do push-ups regularly.

Push-ups do not require the use of any specialized expensive equipment or exercise equipment or sports equipment. To achieve good results, it is enough to have a desire to be in good shape, not to be lazy, and also to use a suitable push-up system (program).

The advantage of such trainings is that they have no restrictions. Absolutely everyone can do push-ups - children, adults, the elderly, men and women.

This basic exercise works several muscle groups at once. It is considered universal and must be included in any training plan.

During its implementation, the following are actively involved in the work:

• rib cage;
• shoulder girdle;
• hands;
• abdominal muscles.

Push-ups not only use different muscles, but also allow you to shift emphasis to certain groups. To work a specific area, it is enough to redistribute the load by changing support points and execution techniques.

The muscles are involved in the work already when the initial (initial) position is assumed. To keep the body in a static position, the intercostal and abdominal muscles, back, as well as arms and legs are activated.

Thanks to this basic, accessible, and, most importantly, effective exercise, muscle mass increases. In addition, a person who regularly does push-ups becomes stronger and more resilient. The impact speed also increases.

The following muscle groups receive the greatest load:

• Breasts. Provide abduction and adduction, as well as rotation of the humerus. They are best worked in a wide-grip position.
• Triceps. Thanks to the triceps muscles, the arms are straightened, and they develop best in a narrow grip position.
• Biceps. They receive a powerful charge that increases the strength of the biceps muscles.
• Deltoid. They acquire a beautiful relief, and, therefore, the shoulders look visually larger.
• Serrated front. The lateral chest area is worked by doing a limited type of exercise, and push-ups are considered the best among them.
• Pyramidal. The elbow muscles, which are a continuation of the triceps, provide easier extension of the forearms.

A correctly designed program and execution technique allows you to benefit not only the muscles. Push-ups strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, bone tissue, joints, and ligaments, and have a positive effect on metabolism. A person's health and well-being improve noticeably.

For a person who does not play sports and does not go to the gym, this exercise allows you to quickly tone weakened muscles. Thanks to this, it becomes much easier to carry out routine work that involves certain physical activity.

Having set a goal for yourself - to start doing push-ups, you need to understand that it will be difficult both psychologically and physically. At this stage, it is important not to overdo it, but to do everything correctly, so that in the future it will be much easier to make the transition from simple to complex.

It is not recommended to bring yourself to exhaustion in the first lesson. The result obtained is determined not only by the number of approaches, but by the technicality of execution, which is much more important. And if you simply push with numbers rather than quality, there will be no effect. Beginners should start the classic version of push-ups after performing this exercise, first from a vertical plane and then from the knees.

There is no need to rush. Each stage takes from seven days to several weeks. You need to focus solely on your preparation, as well as your physical fitness. The readiness to move to the next stage is indicated by the absence of difficulties in completing the current level.

Particular attention is paid to mastering the initial position, which depends on the type of push-up, correct breathing, and the direction of each movement. The torso lowers as you inhale and rises as you exhale. It is necessary to ensure that the body is always straight, and that the lowering and raising of the body is carried out solely by bending and straightening the arms.

• You should start doing push-ups by performing 10 repetitions. It is recommended to increase the pace gradually. The main thing is to listen to your own feelings regarding how the body reacts to the current and increasing load. After class, the feeling of fatigue should be mild. No overvoltage. This is especially true for the first training sessions.
• Before starting classes, you should always do a ten-minute warm-up, and perform the planned number of repetitions in several approaches with breaks of 2-3 minutes.
• You need to do push-ups regularly. Training should never be adjusted to a routine.
• Drawing up a training program must be accompanied by specific goals. If you need to build muscle mass, you will have to train daily. To keep yourself in good physical shape and to normalize body weight, you can do push-ups two to three times a week.
• Those who decide to train daily should move to this pace gradually. First, you need to exercise every other day to prepare your muscles for the load. Rest also gives the muscles an impulse to gain mass.
• When starting an exercise, you should always carefully study not only the description, but also the recommendations.
• When doing push-ups, you can experiment and take some liberties, but only when all the movements are perfected, strength, agility and endurance are well developed, that is, with experience that comes with time.

Beginners are most often interested in the question of how many repetitions they should strive for. For women, it is enough to increase the number of push-ups to 30-40, and for men - to 50-100 push-ups. These are decent results, but not the best. People who want to have a toned, powerful body or who play sports should set higher goals for themselves.

In a month and a half, if you exercise regularly, women can achieve 50, and men 100 repetitions. You need to train for no more than 10-15 minutes. This is quite enough to increase arm strength, as well as the appearance of visually noticeable changes. There is one important point to consider here. There is an opinion that more than 15 repetitions per set will increase endurance, but only at the expense of increasing volume and physical strength.

To increase strength and muscle growth, you should pay increased attention to the technique of execution, complicate the movements and amplitude. You can do push-ups or other difficult variations.

This seemingly simple exercise has many variations. According to some experts, the number of different variations is more than fifty.

Most famous athletes and bodybuilders constantly introduce various additions and changes to push-ups, which allow them to shift the emphasis of the load and open up new opportunities.

Selecting easier options or making training even more difficult is everyone’s personal choice. The choice is determined by personal wishes, goals, and physical capabilities.

Familiar to everyone since school days, they were performed in physical education lessons. The emphasis is placed while lying down, resting on your toes and palms. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder level, palms facing forward. The emphasis is on the toes, slightly wider than the shoulders. The classic push-up movements involve the triceps, chest, and deltoids.

They are a lightweight variation suitable for beginners, elderly people or those with spinal problems. The initial pose is similar to the classic version, but only with emphasis on the legs bent at the knee joint, and not on the toes.

At the same time, keep your feet above the floor, placing one on top of the other. Thanks to this pose, the load is removed from the lower back and the force from various muscle groups is reduced. Studies have shown that the workload in classic push-ups is 64 percent, and with emphasis on the knee joints - 49 percent.

From a horizontal surface and from a wall

The first ones are quite difficult, especially for beginners, and if you start with them, then physical overexertion can be the reason that will discourage any desire to continue practicing. It is best to start the first steps with push-ups performed from a vertical plane, that is, from a wall. It is light, but quite practical, as it prepares muscles and joints for much higher loads.

The technique is quite simple. You need to stand up straight, stepping back from the wall about one step. The distance between the shoulders should be slightly greater than the width of the shoulders. It is best to keep your heels off the floor when the load from your body weight is transferred to your hands. You need to move towards the wall by bending your arms at the elbow joints until your chest touches the surface, and rise by straightening your elbows. At the same time, the torso should be kept straight, only the arms should work.

The distance between your arms out to the side is approximately two shoulder widths. The elbow joints look to the sides, and the emphasis can be on either clenched fists or open palms.

Socks resting on the surface of the floor, on the contrary, reduce the shoulders. As you go down, make sure that your elbow joints remain pointed to the side. Touching the floor, they quickly rise up.

The effectiveness of the exercise depends on the position of the torso, which should be kept straight from the feet to the head. If you lower your stomach, stick your buttocks up, or bend in the lumbar region, this will disrupt your technique.

To transfer the load to the chest muscles, the legs are placed on a hill - a sofa or bench, and the palms are left on the floor. Transferring the emphasis to a stand with a height of 60 cm, according to experts, allows you to increase the load to 75% of its own weight. If you do a reverse transfer, that is, place your arms rather than your legs on a hill, then doing the exercise will be much easier. The higher the bench height, the easier it is to perform push-ups.

The load on the chest muscles directly depends on the grip. The wider it is, the higher it is.

The arms are placed in line with the level of the shoulder joint, that is, along the body. Elbows point back. They stand either on their palms or on their fists. The position of the legs should be such that they are narrower than shoulder width. Moving down, the arms are bent, moving them along the body, pointing the elbows back. Having touched the floor, keeping the body straight, they immediately rise up. This technique allows you to work your triceps. Placing your legs on a hill makes the exercise more difficult, but your arms make it easier.

It is a complex version of push-ups, thanks to which the triceps and frontal deltas are worked out.

The emphasis is placed exclusively on the palms, which are located side by side so that the fingers rest against the surface of the floor and turn slightly inward if necessary to make the execution easier. The toes are placed either slightly wider or at the same level with the shoulder girdle.

To go down, bend your arms, moving your elbows along your body. They are directed back and slightly to the sides. At the end point you need to touch the back of the hand. Move up until the arms are completely straight.

Widely spaced legs allow for a stable position. The right hand is left on the floor, and the slightly bent left hand is placed behind the back. To ensure safety and ensure maximum convenience for execution, it is recommended to use special stops.

The supporting (right) hand cannot be moved to the side. It should be in line with the body. Instead of four, there are only three points of support, and the legs spread to the sides allow you to maintain balance. When lowering, the elbow bends and moves to the side.

The downward movement is continued until the chest touches the floor, and then a push-up is performed, rising until the arm is straightened. Shoulders should be parallel to the floor. Having done a certain number of times, they change hands.

In order not to experience difficulties in performing this exercise, you must have fairly well-developed abdominal muscles.

Complicated Variations

This training perfectly loads the muscles, helps to develop good strength, speed and agility. To make a clap, you need to take a position in which your toes are the same width or narrower than your shoulder girdle, and your arms are 1.5 or 2 times wider apart.

The body is pushed up with a powerful push, lifting the palms off the floor, and quickly clapping. The return should be a soft and graceful landing on the palm of your hand. You can't flop on the floor.

Lightly touching the floor, you need to repeat the entire chain of movement “powerful push-clap-soft landing”. Hands should move rhythmically, harmoniously, strongly, quickly. Boxers include such push-ups in their training programs. They are useful for sprinters and those involved in various types of martial arts.

Focusing on the fingers helps strengthen the bones and increase the strength of the hands. The grip can be either narrow or wide. The main thing is that the emphasis is placed exclusively on the fingers.

It is necessary to do push-ups of this type only if you are in good physical shape and when your fingers are able to hold the body as securely as possible. To prepare for it, you should work a little with an expander to strengthen your hands.

Designed for athletes involved in strength disciplines and those who want to build bulky muscles and have a beautiful and clearly defined relief. The use of special weights allows you to increase the load, thanks to which the muscle tissue is worked out as deeply and efficiently as possible.

Vests equipped with weights are most often worn as weights. This equipment is also used by those who do pull-ups on the crossbar and do push-ups on the uneven bars. Instead of a vest, you can use a regular barbell plate. This weight should be used with caution and only when someone is nearby for backup. The partner must ensure that the pancake is positioned correctly on the back and does not fall. The push-ups themselves also require caution.

You need to start doing push-ups with light weights. It is increased gradually. It is recommended to add no more than one or two kilos per week.

Increasing the range of motion allows you to work out the muscles as efficiently as possible. To achieve this, it is necessary to remove the lower constraint, that is, the floor.

This can be achieved by using three support points, which are three strong chairs. One becomes a support for the feet, and the other two - for the arms. Instead of chairs, it is allowed to use a variety of stands with a height of 10 to 15 centimeters.

Items used as support must be reliable. It is better to buy special handles designed for push-ups. Without the use of additional devices, it is impossible to do deep push-ups that allow you to go below the level of your hands.

At the first stage, you need to determine for yourself three to four days a week for classes. Even if you plan to do push-ups every day, at first you only train every other day. It is imperative to give your muscles time to recover and rest, and not to overexert yourself during your first workouts. At the first stage, a monthly plan is usually drawn up, changes to which occur every week.

A training plan might look like this:

First week:

• warm-up
• first approach - up to 8 push-ups
• break - 1 minute
• second approach – two push-ups less than in the first
• break - 1 minute
• third set – 5 repetitions
• break – 5 minutes
• fourth set – 5 push-ups
• next two sets of five repetitions with a minute's rest

Second week:

• warm-up
• four sets of 8 repetitions, pauses of 1 minute

Third week:

• warm-up
• four sets, maximum number of repetitions (without excessive tension and with high quality)
• rest between sets - 1 minute

The final (fourth) week is devoted to increasing the number of push-ups. They plan the next training month independently and draw up a program for each training day.

Those who have completed initial training, are ready for full-time training, and want to start building a strong and beautiful body need a more advanced approach. It is necessary to develop and change plans every five to seven weeks, aiming to increase repetitions.

1st day:

• warm-up
• push-ups with weights - 4 sets of 12-15 times
• hand push-ups together - 4, 10-12
• abdominal exercise - 1, 40-50

Day 2:

• warm-up
• 100 reps for selected exercise (change push-ups every week)
• first week 10 sets of 10 reps *
• pause between sets 2-3 minutes

3rd day:

• warm-up
• wide grip push-ups 1 set max
• Medium grip push-ups 1 set max
• abdominal exercise – 1 set to the maximum

4th day:

• warm-up
• deep push-ups - 3 sets of 20-25 times
• squats – 3, 20-30
• hand push-ups together - 3, 10-12

1. Descriptions of the exercises allow you to formulate the correct technique of execution, but give you the opportunity to adjust the execution according to your characteristics and goals. You should always place your hands on a plane so that you do not feel any discomfort in the joints. It is necessary to try to prevent them from twisting, unbending, or bending. You always need to find the most comfortable placement of your palms.
2. You should definitely pay attention to developing flexibility by additionally performing special exercises, and also stretch your wrists before class.
3. To avoid injuries and sprains, it is recommended to wear wristbands or bandages. This protection is relevant for those who perform complex squats with clapping, on one arm, without resting on the toes.
4. Not all women are able to achieve a full range of motion due to a large bust. To “eliminate” the obstacle, you should use stops. Thanks to these devices, girls can increase the amplitude.
5. The difficulty of push-ups depends on the position of your legs. The higher they are, the more difficult the exercise and the load placed on the muscles. Experienced athletes may not even use tables, benches, or stools, but instead do vertical push-ups with their legs up.
6. Each training program necessarily involves the inclusion of abdominal and biceps exercises in the plan.
7. We should not forget about the importance of proper nutrition. In order for muscles to develop and form, you need to eat more meat and vegetables.

Push-ups are a universal general strengthening exercise that is suitable for developing triceps, pectoral and deltoid muscles.

During intense training, the bench press, on the contrary, allows you to tighten your abdominal muscles.

What effective programs exist and how to decide on a training methodology will be discussed in this article.

20 week course to increase push-ups

With this program you can pump up your arms, chest and abs. Main, perform presses efficiently, not quickly. The table below provides complete information on the 20 week push-up program.

You need to train every other day. Pause between sets for no more than 3 minutes.

100 push-ups program

First stage of classes

What program should I follow?

• Those who have done about 4 push-ups train according to the first column in the table below.
• From 5 to 9 presses - the second column.
• From 10 to 19 - the third column.
• Those who have done more than 20 push-ups can start with the third stage of training.

The frequency of training is three times in seven days.

Second stage of classes

Let's continue The second week of training should also be opened with a test. Write down your maximum on a piece of paper and perform exercises in accordance with the result.

The second stage ends with a verification test, the results of which must be recorded.

Third stage

Don't forget to track your results! This week is based on the results of the test of the previous stage:

• 17-21 is the first column,
• 22-24 - second,
• From 25 and more - the third column.

Note. If you have done less than 17 push-ups, you should repeat the previous step again.

Fourth stage

the result will not be long in coming. Classes are conducted in accordance with the same column as in the third stage. The fourth week will need to end with an endurance test, the results of which must be recorded.

Fifth stage

endurance increases. Spend the fifth week based on the results of the previous stage:

• From 32 to 36 - 1 column
• From 37 to 42 - 2nd column
• 43 or more is an excellent result and 3rd column.

We test endurance with the maximum number of push-ups from the floor. We record the results.

Sixth stage

The final week is carried out in accordance with the results of the previous stage:

• From 47 to 51 - 1 column
• From 52 to 61 - 2nd column
• From 62 and more - the third column.

At this stage, give your body a rest for at least 3 days and do a final endurance test. Result of 100 and above is guaranteed!

Push-up technique for girls

The main thing is to perform the exercise in accordance with the technology, train regularly and do not miss stages of training.

Push-up program:

1. Stage No. 1

• 1 lesson: 4/3/3/3/4=17 push-ups in 5 sets, with breaks of 1 - 3 minutes;
• Lesson 2: 5/4/3/4/5=21 presses for 5 sets, break from 1 to 3 minutes;
• Lesson 3: 6/5/5/5/6=27/5.

After three days of training until next week.

2. Stage No. 2

• 1 lesson: 7/5/5/7/5=29/5;
• Lesson 2: 8/6/5/5/7= 31/5;
• Lesson 3: 9/6/6/8/6=35.

3. Stage No. 3

• 1 training: 13/10/11/8/8=50;
• 2 training: 13/11/9/13/9=54;
• 3 training: 14/10/12/14/10= 60.

4. Stage No. 4

• 17/15/11/12/13=68
• 17/19/13/13/15=77
• 21/19/14/14/17=85

5. Stage No. 5

• 24/22/16/16/18=96
• 26/24/18/16/22=106
• 28/26/26/16/20=116.

Take breaks between classes. These are very real results that every girl can achieve if she trains conscientiously. When completing the program, you need to drink more still water.

For beginners

During the first three weeks, the muscles adapt to the load; in order for it to be even, exercise for three days at each stage. Be sure to pause between sets for 1 to 3 minutes. At week 4, the muscles are already becoming stronger, and you will feel it. The sixth week should end with an endurance test.

We wrote about which muscles work during push-ups.

During push-ups, the torso should be straight and breathing should be even. This system will give you noticeable results if you stick to your schedule, otherwise you will be wasting your time.

Push-up system for a month

Program stages:

• In the first week you need to study 4 days, morning and evening. You need to do 4 sets with breaks, the number of presses depends on your physical capabilities. The main thing is that each set should consist of the same number of floor presses.

Exercise every other day.

• The second stage consists of 5 training days, train in the morning and evening hours. You need to do 5 sets in the morning, and 4 in the evening. Increase the number of push-ups in each approach to 5 times.

Note. Approximate schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. Two training days in a row are needed to strengthen muscles.

• Stage 3 consists of 6 workouts per week, as usual, in the morning and evening. The lesson consists of 5 sets, increasing the number of presses up to 5 times. The duration of each approach is 8 - 12 minutes.
• In the final week you will have to work hard, since you need to exercise every day, morning and evening. Namely, 6 sets in the morning and 6 in the evening, the number of presses increases up to 5 times. If possible, you can do three more approaches.

Push-up program for mass and relief

Start the first week like this: 25 - 38 push-ups, every 5 sets. Pause between sets for about 3 minutes. Do the exercise at a slow pace.

In the second week, we do fewer sets up to 3. The second stage consists of three training days, each day you need to do 4-6 times more push-ups. Push-ups should be done slowly.

In the third week you can already notice the fruits of your labor, but this is a reason to work even better. Number of sets - 3, number of push-ups for each approach - 65.

The fourth stage should be started with an endurance test, do the maximum number of presses. The maximum result must be repeated in two more sets, the break between which should be no more than 3 minutes.

Any workout should be preceded by a warm-up for all muscle groups. You can go to the gym for a good warm-up. You can eat food at least 2 hours and 30 minutes before sports activities.

For advanced

The goal of the program is to increase the number of push-ups over a certain period. Maximum time - 38 seconds. We train three times a week, every other day, since the load is quite serious.

Example of the 4x30 technique:

What is the program for?

Who can be called a novice athlete? These are people who have minimal physical training. Beginners also include those who do up to 5 push-ups in one approach. Minimum physical fitness is 5 to 15 push-ups, average is from 16 to 32, and high is from 33 or more.

Floor presses are considered very intense exercises that not everyone can do. Main contraindications: chronic diseases of the respiratory tract, heart and blood vessels. It is also prohibited to exercise if you have injured joints or strained muscles. Obese people are not recommended to immediately start such intense training. This is explained by the fact that the joints will not withstand such a load. .

Before you start training, you need to be examined by a doctor.

If you are unable to perform some exercise from the complex or meet the standard, do not despair. Give your muscles a little rest and repeat the problematic stage again; only after you can repeat it several times, you can move on to the next stage. Those who cannot do push-ups from the floor should perform elevated presses for 2 weeks. After that, try doing classic push-ups.

When choosing a program for yourself, you should focus on your own wishes and level of physical fitness. To find out how physically strong you are, take a test where you need to do as many push-ups as possible. Choose a program based on the results of this test. You need to practice strictly according to one method, this is the only way to achieve certain success. Take rest days as muscles grow during rest. Follow all the rules, and you will notice the results of your training very soon.

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Many people do not have access to a gym, but this does not stop them from building a beautiful body. They use exercises that do not require special equipment. They can be done anywhere. One of these exercises is push-ups.

This banal movement can work wonders, of course, if done correctly. But how many push-ups do you need to do to get results? I propose to look into this issue together.

A few words about the exercise

Push-ups are a basic exercise that is performed primarily with your own body weight. It is called basic because the biomechanics of movement involve the use of more than one joint and muscle group.

The main load when performing push-ups falls on the pectoral muscles and triceps. The muscles of the lower back, abs and gluteal muscles work as stabilizers. The shoulders are also involved in the movement.

Depending on the type of push-ups, the main load shifts to the pectoral or triceps.

Push-up variations:

• Push-ups with different hand positions.
• Push-ups with the body or legs raised.
• Push-ups with increased amplitude.

How many push-ups do you need to do to get results? It depends on your goal. To increase the number of repetitions in one approach and increase muscle mass, different training schemes are used, as well as other variations of push-ups.

How to learn to do a lot of push-ups

No matter how strange it may sound, in order to learn how to do a lot of push-ups at one time, you need to do a lot of push-ups. This means that during the day you need to do 1-2 endurance workouts.

How many push-ups should you do per day? As much as possible. Find out your current maximum number of repetitions and aim to increase this number by one repetition every day.

There is another way. Divide the workout into 5-6 approaches. In the first set, perform 80% of your one-time maximum repetitions, and in each subsequent approach add one repetition. Try to progress the load in each workout - this is the key to success.

Rep Increase Program

Let's say your maximum is 50 push-ups at a time. This means that the first set starts with 40 repetitions.

• first approach – 40 repetitions;
• second – 41;
• third – 42;
• fourth – 43;
• fifth – 44;
• sixth – 45.

Rest between sets for 30-60 seconds. If you can’t complete the program right away, don’t give up. Remember, you have to do as many push-ups as you can, and everything will work out.

How to build muscle mass with push-ups

This is not an easy task, since most of the work occurs with your own weight, and for muscle growth you need a constant progression of load. You can be smart and put a weight on your back, but it will soon not be enough. But even without additional weight, push-ups can build some muscle.

The load in this case is regulated by the speed of the exercise. Muscles don’t count kilograms; they care about working hours. Spend 3 seconds lowering your body and 2 seconds rising.

An increase in load is also ensured by an increase in the amplitude of movement. To do this, place several books under your palms or use special platforms. In addition, if you place your feet on a hill, the exercise will become even more difficult.

So, if you want your muscles to grow, do the exercise at a slow pace, increase the range of motion using platforms and the position of your legs relative to your head.

How many times should you do push-ups? Perform 8-10 reps in 4-5 sets. Shift your workouts to a day of rest. Take a break of no more than 1 minute between approaches.

Push-up technique

Take a “lying position”, straighten your arms in front of you, feet rest on the floor, legs together. The chest, lower back and legs should be straight and in one line. When lowering, keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle relative to your body.

At the lowest point, slightly touch the floor with your chest, this way the muscles will stretch better, which means that the prerequisites for growth will be higher. At the top point, do not straighten your arms completely to maintain the load in the target muscle. Watch your breathing: exhale as you force, inhale as you stretch the muscle.

About hand placement

The wider the position of the arms, the more load goes to the pectoral muscles. However, setting too wide reduces the range of motion. Therefore, if you want to shift the emphasis to the chest, place your hands a little wider than your shoulders.

Narrow hand placement loads the triceps. If you want to pump them up, take the standard starting position, but clasp your hands in front of you, palm to palm. While lowering, try to keep your elbows closer to your body, this will pump up the inner head of the triceps, which gives the greatest volume to your arm.

How to quickly learn to do push-ups

Two words: practice and discipline. If you want to master something, you have to try to do it. If you want to learn how to fight, fight; draw - draw; do push-ups - do push-ups. There are no exceptions. In addition, it is necessary to do this systematically. Skipping workouts is the last thing you should do if you really want to learn.

Can't do a single rep? No problem. Start doing push-ups from your knees, doing partial reps. Another option for beginners to do push-ups is to place your legs up to your waist on a bed or sofa. Performing 30-50 repetitions in 5-6 approaches every day, in a month you will be able to do your first full push-ups.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a few more words need to be said about motivation. Don't think you can't learn this exercise, increase your reps, or add some muscle. If you do push-ups every day, then no matter what your genetics are, you will get results. The main thing is to follow the technique, eat right and not forget about recovery.