The push-up is a great upper body movement that also build your core and can be done anytime or anywhere.
Our fit mom, Carissa Johnson is here to give some pointers to make sure you’re getting the most out of each rep.
The Knee Push-Up
This is a great movement for beginners and those lacking good core or upper-body strength.
- Start by getting on your knees and hands should go where your shoulders feel most stable. Typically, this will be just outside of shoulder width.
- As you lower your body down, elbows should be at about a 45-degree angle or closer to your body. The closer you tuck your elbows to the body, the more focus that will be placed on your tricep muscles. The further away from the body that your elbows are, the more chest muscles will be recruited.
- As you’re doing these, really focus on keeping your core tight. Think about pulling your belly button towards your spine.
The goal is to touch your chest all the way to the ground, but if you’re unable to at first, that’s okay. Just go as low as you can and keep working towards that goal.
The Push-Up
Once the knee push-up has become too easy, move to a normal push-up.
- Start with your feet on the ground now, normally shoulder width apart or whatever feels most comfortable for you.
- The push-up uses the same technique and mechanics as the knee push-up. Put extra focus on keeping your core tight, squeeze your quads and glutes too.
The Plank
This last movement is another great way to build core strength and stability.
- To perform a plank, start in your push-up position. Arms locked out and feet on the ground.
- Again, think about squeezing the glutes, quads, and keeping your core tight. Keep your neck and spine neutral. Breath slow and deep.
- Hold for as long as possible. You can set goals each week try to hold longer than the previous week.
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