Push-up program for those who want to have a beautiful body

How push-ups change the body

Push-ups are a versatile super exercise. No equipment, minimum free space and just a few minutes a day - that's all you need to transform your body.

Here's what you get by doing push-ups:

Embossed hands … During push-ups, hands squeeze. The rise of push-ups: A classic exercise that can help you get stronger 50–75% of your body weight. The triceps - the muscles on the back of the shoulder - will grow in size to shape the arms.
Strong shoulders … Push-ups pump the deltoid muscles covering the shoulder joint. This not only provides an athletic appearance, but also protects joints from injury in sports and daily life.
Beautiful breasts … The push-up is an inverted analogue of the Comparison of Kinematics and Muscle Activation between Push-up and Bench Press of the bench press, one of the best pectoral exercises.
Tightened torso … During push-ups, not only the shoulder girdle works, but also the muscles of the body - the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles, the muscles of the lower back. Even if you don't see the abs because of the fat layer, your body will visually appear more toned.

What's more, the ability to do multiple push-ups builds endurance and is considered by the Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men to be a good indicator of heart health.

How to do push-ups correctly

Stand at close range. Place your wrists under your shoulders or half of your palm wider. Pull in your stomach and tighten your glutes. Direct your gaze to the floor in front of you.

Bend your elbows and lower yourself down. Make sure that the angle between the body and the shoulder is no more than 45 degrees.

Spreading your elbows to the sides puts more stress on your joints, which, if repeated, can result in inflammation and pain.

Squeeze yourself up to the starting position. Make sure that the body remains level at the same time, the pelvis does not go down, and the lower back does not fall through.

To test your push-up range, have someone place a fist on the floor under your chest. You should lower yourself until your fist touches your chest. Remember this position and do it in full range each time - half-push-ups steal your progress.

Alternatively, you can let go until your chest touches the floor. So you will load the muscles more and you will not doubt every time whether you are working in full amplitude.

Do push-ups at a calm pace, do not rush. Quick push-ups overload the Effect of Push-up Speed on Elbow Joint Loading on the elbow joints and can cause pain.

If you still can't do the classic push-ups with the correct technique, do the simplified version - from the knees.

So the load on the muscles is reduced: you squeeze The rise of push-ups: A classic exercise that can help you get stronger only 36-45% of your weight.

What problems may arise

Pain in the wrists

Some people experience pain in the back of their wrists when lying down. This can be due to both unusual loading and Dorsal Wrist Pain in the Extended Wrist-Loading Position: An MRI Study. more complex conditions - due to a ganglion cyst or partial tendon tear.

If the pain is severe and persists after a couple of workouts, pause the program and see an orthopedic surgeon.

Back pain

If you bend in your lower back every time you exit the push-up, the vertebrae can squeeze the intervertebral discs. If you already have back problems, it can lead to a hernia.

Follow the form of the exercise. If you can't squeeze yourself without bending your back, do push-ups from your knees and work on your back and abdominal muscles at the same time.

If you already have a diagnosed back problem, consult your healthcare professional before starting the program.

No strength to train

Better to work out somehow than not at all. So if you really don't feel like exercising, promise yourself to do less. The main thing is not tomorrow, but right now.

Put on some upbeat music.
Tune in for one good point-blank set.
Do the exercise.
Ask yourself if you want to take another approach. Just one, but good.
Complete it to the end and feel amazing.

How to start a push-up program

First you need to do a test. It will help you understand how many push-ups you can already do and what you will strive for.

The test should be performed fresh and rested. If your arms or chest muscles are clogged after a previous workout, take a day off beforehand.

Do a little warm-up: twist your arms at your shoulders, elbows, and wrists 10 times in each direction.
Stand upright and do as many push-ups per set as you can. Perform in a row, without pause at the top or bottom of the exercise.
Watch your form - if you can't do push-ups to keep your body straight, but instead squirm with your whole body, the rep does not count. Remember the number of quality reps.
If you can't do push-ups even once, do the exercise from your knees and remember the number.

Then you can go to the program. We present the push-up program from coach and bodybuilder Brad Borland, published by 8-Week Workout Plan For Push Up Strength And Power in Breakingmuscle.

At first, you only exercise twice a week and give your muscles the rest they need to grow. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and the number of workouts, add different variations of push-ups.

How to do push-ups in weeks 1-2

At this stage, you will only practice twice a week. Choose days free from other workouts to keep your exercise fresh and give your best.

Multiply the number of times from your test by four - this will be your goal for two weeks.

For example, if you managed to do 20 push-ups during the test, aim for 80.

You won't be able to finish all the reps in a set - that's okay. Break the required amount into as many sets as required.

Keep a timer handy to keep track of your rest time between sets. Take a 60 second break in the first week and 30 seconds in the second.

Do not give up the approach as soon as you feel a burning sensation in the muscles. Resist, endure and try to do as many times as possible.

Follow the technique. Even when the strength is running out, it is important to perform the movement without errors - in the full range, with the correct position of the elbows and a tense press.

If you find it difficult to keep your body straight, do additional abdominal and back exercises. You can do them every day: you will only get the benefit.

Crunches on the press with raised legs

It is not necessary to straighten your knees, if the stretch is not enough - leave them slightly bent. Lift the shoulder blades off the floor and return them back. Do not put your hands on your head.

Perform three sets of 20 times with a break of 30 seconds.

Bike

One of the most effective abs exercises. Do not lower your shoulder blades and feet to the floor until the end of the set. Do three sets of 20 reps with 30 seconds rest.

Superman

Raise your arms and legs as high as possible and hold the position for 30-60 seconds. Do three sets with 30 seconds rest.

How to do push-ups in 3-4 weeks

Exercise three times a week. It is better to arrange workouts after a day of rest so that the muscles have time to recover.

Add 50% of your original goal to the number of push-ups. That is, if last week you did 80 push-ups per workout, now your goal is 80 + 80 × 50% = 80 + 40 = 120 times.

If you've done knee push-ups in the past weeks, try some classic push-ups. Do as much as you can, and then switch to the simplified version to finish off the right amount.

Rest 30 seconds between sets. If you feel that you can start earlier, do it.

How to do push-ups at 5-6 weeks

Exercise four times a week. Better to alternate your workout days with rest. For example, you can exercise for two days in a row, then take a day off and again for two days of training.

Add 50% of your original goal to the number of push-ups. For example, if you did 80 times in the first weeks, do 120 + 80 × 50% = 120 + 40 = 160 push-ups.

Reduce the rest time between sets to 15 seconds.

Add new variations to the exercise. This will give the body an unfamiliar load and increase your progress. Alternate these types of push-ups from set to set. For example, first the classic, then the diamond approach, one wide, then the pseudo-plan, and then return to the classics again.

Diamond push ups

This variation is better than Effect of the push-up exercise at different palmar width on muscle activities of others loads the triceps.

Place your hands under your sternum and connect your thumbs and forefingers so that a diamond-like shape appears between them. Push up in this position, observing all the technical aspects for the classic exercise.

With wide arms

Such push-ups are more Effect of the push-up exercise at different palmar width on muscle activities load the serratus anterior muscles - the ladder of muscles on the sides of the chest that helps move the shoulder blades.

Place your palms wider than your shoulders, point your fingers forward or slightly to the sides.

Pseudo-plan

These push-ups generally load Selective Activation of Shoulder, Trunk, and Arm Muscles: A Comparative Analysis of Different Push-Up Variants with more muscle than the rest of the variations, and better pump the shoulder girdle.

Place your hands not under your shoulders, but slightly lower - closer to your chest. To get started, try just moving them a little - about half of your palm. If possible, place your palms under your belly and do push-ups in this position.

How to do push-ups at 7-8 weeks

You will now practice five times a week. You can do the exercise on weekdays and rest on weekends, or split into three or two workouts with one rest day in between.

Add another 50% of the original goal to the number of push-ups. For example, if in the first two weeks there were 80, now you need to do 160 + 80 × 50% = 160 + 40 = 200 repetitions.

Try to reduce your rest time. While the muscles are fresh, rest for only a few seconds, then gradually increase the time, but do not sit for more than 15 seconds.

Keep experimenting with hand placement. In addition to diamond, wide, and pseudo-plate, try the following variations. As in the past two weeks, alternate with the classic ones. This will further increase the load on your muscles, avoid stagnation in your workouts and make your workouts really interesting.

Slide

This variation works well on the shoulders and prepares for handstand push-ups.

Stand in an emphasis lying down, give your pelvis up and move your hands a little closer to your legs so that your body stands up as a “slide”. Place your feet on your toes.

Push up in this position, each time touching the floor with your head.

With feet on a dais

In this version, more load is transferred to the upper part of the pectoral muscles, as if you were doing an incline bench press.

Place your feet on firm support and do push-ups, following the technique of the classic version.

With legs on unstable support

Such push-ups will provide a serious load on the abdominal muscles.

Put your feet in rings, loops, or put on the ball and do push-ups in this position.

How to end a push-up program

At the end of the eighth week, rest for 1–2 days and perform the same test as before.

Do a light warm-up and push up as many times per set as possible.

You can stop there or repeat the push-up program from the beginning with a new number of repetitions.