Are you sure you know how to do a push up properly? Here is what you need to know about this awesome, powerful, yet simple exercise!
A push up will work your entire body and increase your strength and that’s why is so important to know how to do it in its proper form. There are a tone of variations to liven things up, but first you have to master the clasic push up. Many beginners don’t perform it in the correct way and they don’t even know this, because a push up seems so simple in most cases. Here is the right way to do it!
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Even if most of people think that push ups are for beginners, the truth is that these are not some moves that should be used for building your foundation. You should include push ups in your workouts only after you’ve laid down some of the core foundation, because you need a great amount of strength, coordination and stability to perform ’em properly.
It’s important for you to know that the movement of a push-up is rotational, rather than linear. The entire body rotates around a pivot point created by your feet. This results with a sort of semi-circular movement of the whole body. To master a perfect push up it’s essential to maintain the natural curve of the spine and avoid letting your stomach hang down below the torso.
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Never forget to contract the quads instead of squeezing the glutes, because in this way you’ll fire up the hip flexors and work your core muscles. The quads and hip flexors, together with the core, act as stabilizing force of your spine. Also, you need to stand on your toes as much as you can, because they should support most of your weight.
When you do a push up your head and neck must be in a neutral position creating a straight line with your spine. In this way you avoid many types of injuries and you protect your spine and shoulders. Try to follow these advices and you’ll improve the way you do push ups. Keep in mind that you gotta feel your whole body working while you’re doing this exercise!