How to Do Push-Ups

Mastering the push-up is achievable with proper technique and practice. This exercise strengthens your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.

Starting Position: Begin on your hands and knees. Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward or slightly outward. Extend your legs back, forming a straight line from head to heels. Your body should be in a plank position. As noted by the NASM Guide to Push-Ups, engaging your core (drawing your belly button toward your spine and tightening your abdominals) and squeezing your glutes is crucial for maintaining proper form. (https://blog.nasm.org/nasm-guide-to-push-ups/form-and-technique)
Lowering Down: Keeping your body straight, slowly lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows. Your elbows should be at roughly a 45-degree angle to your body, forming a triangle. The Perfect Push Up! video emphasizes fully retracting your scapulas (shoulder blades) at the bottom. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=undefined)
Pushing Up: Push back up to the starting position, extending your arms fully but avoiding locking your elbows. Maintain a straight line throughout the movement.

Variations and Progressions

If a standard push-up is too challenging, you can modify it:

Knee Push-Ups: Perform the push-up on your knees instead of your toes, reducing the weight and making it easier.
Incline Push-Ups: Perform push-ups with your hands elevated on a bench or wall, reducing the angle of your body and decreasing the difficulty. The New York Times suggests using a wall to practice proper form before attempting floor push-ups. (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/18/well/move/how-to-master-the-push-up.html)

As you gain strength, you can progress to harder variations, such as:

Decline Push-Ups: Elevate your feet on a bench or chair, increasing the difficulty.
Diamond Push-Ups: Place your hands close together forming a diamond shape, emphasizing the triceps.
Wide Push-Ups: Increase the distance between your hands to target the chest more. (Many sources highlight this variation.)

Remember to focus on proper form to avoid injury and maximize effectiveness. Consistent practice will help you improve your strength and endurance. Numerous resources, such as Verywell Fit and WikiHow, offer detailed guides and variations. (https://www.verywellfit.com/the-push-up-exercise-3120574, https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Push-Up)