If you’re new to the fitness arena or are looking for a fitness boost, push ups are a must-do. Not only do they help with your fitness results, but they’re also great for your body composition and overall health. Interestingly, pushups are a compound exercise so you can get all the benefits without combining it with any other exercises. Here’s more about the best benefits of doing pushups everyday and how to start doing a push up workout today.

Doing push-ups every day has many benefits

The push-up is a strength training exercise that targets muscles in the upper body. It is a staple in the exercise routine of athletes, bodybuilders, and gym-goers.

Strengthens the upper body

Workout routines that include pushups build muscles and improve strength, especially in the upper body. In addition to the pectoralis major (large chest muscles), the pectoralis minor (smaller chest muscles), triceps (thick upper arm muscles), anterior deltoids (shoulder muscles located at the top of the shoulder joints), and core (abdominal muscles), it works on several upper body muscles.

Enhances core stability

In each push-up, the core engages and pulls in the abdominal muscles. These muscles remain active throughout the reps and sets, increasing core stability, especially in the rectus abdominis and obliques.

Exercises with compound movements

Compound exercises like push-ups, lunges, and squats work on multiple muscle groups simultaneously. As a result, they are highly beneficial and effective.

4. Reduces the risk of cardiac issues

Adding push-ups to your daily routine makes your body physically fit and active. As the body incorporates rhythmic breathing with moves, it supports heart health. A study found that people who are able to do more than 40 push-ups have a lower risk of heart disease.

5. Enhances body composition

Pushups can increase your heart rate, which leads to an increase in energy metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories. This results in fat loss, improving your body composition in the long run.

6. Enhances bone health

In post-menopausal women who are at greater risk for osteoporosis, strength training is a proven way to preserve muscle mass and promote bone health.

7. Promotes weight loss

A push-up workout is especially effective in a weight loss routine because it increases the body’s resting metabolic rate, which burns more calories.

Push-up Routine: How to Get Started

Here are a few key points to keep in mind if you are new to exercise and considering include push-ups in your daily exercise routine:

Don’t start big – Always start small and give your body enough time to recover and repair muscle soreness.

Keep the increase gradual and spread it out over a few days unless it’s part of your daily routine.

To reap the benefits of push ups every day, set a daily push-up goal. Make sure you reach that level every day.

Make push-ups a habit by doing them with a friend or gym partner. This will keep your routine challenging.

If you follow the same push-up routine every day, it can be monotonous. Try adding different variations to your routine.

Levels and variations of push ups

Starting from basic push-ups to a variety of variations, a push-up workout routine graduates from beginner to advanced.

Push-ups for beginners

Here are a few variations you can try before you do the traditional push-up to build the strength you need:

A wall push-up is a vertical version of the push-up. Stand about arm’s length away from a wall to perform this exercise. Raise your arms to chest level and place the palms on the wall slightly wider than shoulder-width. Bring the torso to the wall by bending your elbows and engaging your core. Return to the starting position by reversing the movement.

A knee push-up is a horizontal push-up but with less resistance. Get down on your knees and place your palms on the mat, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Make sure your knees and head are straight. Lower your chest by bending your elbows. Slowly push your chest upward.

Push-ups at an intermediate level

The following are more challenging variations to try after getting into good form with beginner-level push-ups:

It is the traditional push-up that can be performed on any flat surface. Place your palms flat on the ground while doing a plank. Place the palms slightly outside shoulder width. Place your feet hip-width apart. Engage your core and lower your chest, hips, and head by slowly bending your elbows. When you reach the ground, return to the starting position.

Performing decline push-ups is primarily a shoulder exercise, as they add more resistance. Place your feet on an elevated surface, higher than your hip level, and perform decline push-ups. For example, you can use a chair or bench, and place your hands on the floor. Get down until your chest touches the floor and repeat as many repetitions as possible while maintaining a steady body posture.

You will use a BOSU balance ball for this variation. Hold the edges of the BOSU balance ball while doing push-ups. The instability makes the push-ups challenging since you will have to exert more effort to maintain your core and shoulders.

Push-ups at an advanced level

You can add weight and intensity to your workout routine once you get into an absolute pro framework.

You can intensify your push-up workout by adding a clap to the middle of it. In order to perform a Plyo push-up, start with a regular push-up. After reaching the lowest position, lift your hands off the floor and clap once, then immediately place your palms back on the floor. Keep repeating this exercise.

This variation requires two dumbbells. Start by getting down in the regular push-up position. Place two dumbbells under your chest. Complete a push-up repetition followed by a dumbbell row.

When it comes to push ups, the one-arm push-up is the ultimate level of difficulty. In this variation, you must balance yourself on one arm while performing the push-up. Perform the following movements with one arm by getting into a regular push-up stance. Place your arm behind your back just before getting down. Perform one set. Do the second set on the other side.

Precautions for Push-Ups

• The first thing to consider when doing push ups is to make sure you are practising them correctly. If not done correctly, it can lead to strain or fatigue.
• Avoid wrist pressure by placing your palms comfortably.
• If you are suffering from a shoulder injury, you should stop doing push-ups immediately.
• Make sure your body is aligned correctly during each push-up to prevent spine injuries.
• Don’t set an unrealistic goal for how many push-ups you want to do each day. Start with a small number and increase gradually. Don’t overdo it.

In conclusion

A daily push-up routine has more benefits than just improving physical health. It not only changes our outlook about fitness and health, but also motivates us to get better each day. It is one of the few compound exercises that work on multiple large and small muscles simultaneously. For a well-toned upper body, it is the perfect exercise.

Push-ups on a daily basis will also boost your confidence, increase your productivity, and inspire you to aim higher and achieve greater things. Make sure you are doing push-ups correctly and are aware of the safety concerns before you add them to your daily routine. Be consistent and regular, but stop immediately and consult your doctor if you experience pain, stretch, or muscle fatigue.