Bodyweight exercises like push-ups can be incredibly effective for building strength and stability. In fact, I’ll have my clients master bodyweight moves before we start working with additional weight sources like dumbbells or kettlebells.
Push-ups are an excellent choice to target upper-body muscles like your pecs, deltoids and triceps, but they’re very easy to do incorrectly. Unfortunately, poor form during push-ups can not only impact your strength gains but also reinforce maladaptive movement patterns and set you up for injury.
As a certified personal trainer, I see these three push-up mistakes quite frequently. Fortunately, they’re relatively easy to correct with a few form modifications, mobility drills and stretches.
How to do a push-up
Before trying any new exercise or workout program, consult with your medical team to get the go-ahead. If you’ve never done a push-up before, consider meeting with a certified personal trainer so they can give you specific form pointers and advice.
You won’t need any equipment for push-ups, but you may want to use a yoga mat to cushion sensitive areas.
Here's how to do a push-up:
- Start on all fours on the floor.
- Step your feet behind you.
- Keep your core engaged and your spine neutral.
- Bend your elbows and bring your chest, torso and hips towards the floor.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Continue for the desired number of reps, starting with 8-10 for beginners.
While these mistakes are common for gym newbies, I’ve also seen them impact experienced athletes. Correcting them now will save you some aches and pain in the long run.
1. Reduced range of motion
During a full range push-up, your chest, torso and hips should lower all the way to the floor (or hover slightly above it). If your elbows are only bending slightly and you’re more than a few inches away from the ground, you’re working in a reduced range of motion. This can place strain on the shoulders, limit pectoral activation and take your core muscles out of the equation.
I usually see this form error in those who try standard push-ups without building the appropriate strength first. When I work with a client who can’t do a full-range push-up, I’ll have them modify the exercise by dropping to their knees (a modified push-up or knee push-up) or performing it against the wall (called a wall push-up).
These form options allow you to move through a full range of motion with less gravitational impact, strengthening the right muscle groups at an appropriate resistance.
2. Hips misaligned
Your push-up form should look similar to a plank with your shoulders, torso, hips and feet forming a diagonal line without any excessive arching through the lower back. If your core strength isn’t up to par and your lower back is tight, your hips could sink toward the floor or rise toward the ceiling as you’re performing the exercise.
If you find your hips shifting out of alignment, modifying the push-up as described above can be helpful. Additionally, you’ll want to build deep core strength through exercises like hollow holds, heel taps and bird dogs. I also recommend opening up the lower back with moves like supine spinal twists, the child’s pose stretch and the cat-cow mobility drill.
3. The elbow flare
Ideally, your elbows should stay at about a 45-degree angle from your body during a push-up. However, many flare their elbows to a 90-degree angle, which places stress on the joints and recruits the wrong muscles for the job.
Sometimes, the simple fix involves a change of hand placement. Making sure your hands are aligned directly under your shoulders also aligns your elbows correctly.
Shoulder and wrist mobility can also be a culprit. If these areas are tight, try incorporating mobility exercises like wall slides, shoulder halos and wrist flexion and extension into your routine.
The push-up works the chest, shoulders, triceps and core, but that doesn’t mean other muscles don’t play a part. Be sure to engage your lats and mid-lower traps during the exercise, too. These are muscles in your back that support posture and shoulder stability.
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