The Right Way to Do Pushups

So I'm doing a pushup challenge. One of the guys at the gym runs it at this time every year, and I got roped into participating by one of my trainers who is also participating. He wanted someone with which he could complain about being sore, and I'm not one to back down from a challenge I know I can do, so I'm in. The premise: AMRAP every day, max 250 (for the girls) until January 3. One rest day per week. I did 100/day last week (but I started on Thursday), and am targeting 125/day this week (but I did 140 today because of this post—ha!)

Yes, you guessed it. Today's post is about pushups.
We're going to talk about proper pushup form.

First and foremost, let's start with head placement: Keep your head in line with your spine. A lot of people (including myself) let their head hang when the going gets tough. Or they look ahead.

Maintaining a neutral spine is fairly important when it comes to exercise, and losing it is often the first step toward bad form. So think about making (and keeping) your head an extension of your spine. One straight line. A common concept when it comes to proper pushup form and technique. Which brings me to the next pushup tip: Keep your hips in line with your shoulders and your ankles. This point is best illustrated with a video:



You also need to make sure your hips aren't too high, especially if you're modifying to your knees. This is the biggest mistake people make when they modify:

It puts a lot of pressure on your lower back, and ultimately takes away from the work that your chest and arms are doing. Which brings me to another tip: Don't put your elbows directly out to the side.

It's a bit unnatural for the shoulders. Here's another view:

My hands are also too far forward...they look a bit forced, no? Keep your hands in line with your shoulders.

Start with your wrists under your shoulders, or slightly out to the side, and let the elbows fall as they will. You can see what I mean in the graphic above. And finally, one major tip: Don't forget to breathe when you do pushups. Inhale when you go down, and exhale when you push yourself up. Use your breath to get the most out of your muscles.

Bottom line: Don't hesitate to modify if your pushup form isn't where you want it to be. Build up strength in the modified version, then slowly begin to lift those knees for a few reps. If you can't keep form, return to the modified version. This is the best way to build strength safely and efficiently.

Now, let's talk about my awesome home gym.
Basement home gyms are the best, right?

Nothing like piles of laundry and dry clothes to make you get it done quickly.

Want more pushup posts? Check these out:
• 5 Pushup Variations
• Chest Fly Pushups
• Can't do pushups?

Question: Have you ever done a fitness challenge? What was it and how did you do?