People always wonder if push-ups really benefit their bodies. Well in fact, they benefit nearly every muscle in the body. Push-ups help you focus on your arms, abs and your lower body, all at the same time. They train your muscle groups to work together and become stronger. This workout helps strengthen your core and define your upper body. By perfecting this power move, you are activating your shoulders, chest, arms, waist, abdomen and sides of your waist – overall aiding in fat burning.
To help you master this super move, here are some tips:
- Keep Your Body Straight
– Avoid rounding your spine. Make sure your legs, hips, neck and head are in one straight line. Slowly lower your body by tucking your elbows towards the sides of your body then come back up in the exact same position. If you can’t go all the way down and come back up, then try modified push-ups – instead of your feet being on the ground, have your knees bent and touching the ground.
- Hip Alignment
– Keep those hips tight and aligned with your neck and feet. Any kind of weight distribution can change the kind of resistance you’re trying to build. For example, when your shoulders are aligned with your feet, your arms are working more than your feet. And when your body assumes an upward slant (moving up from your feet), your lower body is building more resistance.
- Hand Placement
– Place your hands in line with your shoulders for optimum results.
- Squeeze Your Glutes
– Your glutes are one of the biggest muscle groups in your body. Squeezing your glutes will help protect your lower back.
