While many people think of the push-up as relatively basic, it is in fact an exercise that a myriad of people of all genders, fitness levels, and abilities, struggle to do properly.
When you are performing push-ups, these key points in form are what you want to look for. I could have included many more points.
Once I highlight proper push-up form, I’m going to give you 3 of my top cues that will help you get your first push-up, improve your push-up form, and learn more advanced types of push-ups.
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When you are performing push-ups, these key points in form are what you want to look for. I could have included many more points.
#1) The neck should remain in a neutral position, and the chin lightly tucked. When many people perform push-ups, they allow their head and neck to collapse towards the floor (I liken this to a bird drinking water). Others look up and overextend their neck.
#2) Once you have set your head and neck in the correct position, gaze directly down to a spot on the floor. For the duration of the exercise, keep your eyes fixed on this spot.
#3) Lightly press your tongue against the roof of your mouth (behind your upper front teeth). This subtle trick can help prevent the neck from collapsing.
#4) Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread or suction your full hands and fingers to the floor/surface.
#5) In the bottom position of the push-up, your elbows should be directly above your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position.
#6) In the bottom position of a push-up your body and upper arms should resemble an “arrow.” Many people allow their elbows to flare out so their body and upper arms resemble a “t.” This is a mistake you want to avoid making.
#7) The push-up is a ‘’moving plank,’’ and for the duration of the exercise your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels.
#8) Proper bracing will improve your overall ability to perform the exercise. Before each rep, brace your core. Imagine you are trying to achieve a 360 degree brace around your spine. Aim to maintain this tension for the duration of the exercise, but reset this brace in the top position before you perform the next rep, or right before you’ve reached the bottom position (depending on what works best for you). Keep your glutes contracted as well.
#9) Keep your knees fully extended, and make sure your weight is evenly distributed on both feet.
Here are 3 of my top cues for helping you excel at push-ups. To note, the effectiveness of each cue will vary from person to person, and these are just a few of the many cues I’ll use.
Cue #1) “Row yourself down to the floor”
In the bottom position of the push-up, the elbows should be directly above the wrists and forearms in a vertical position. Essentially, in the bottom position of a push-up the body and upper arms should resemble an “arrow.” Many people lack control and allow their elbows to flare up towards their ears so their body and upper arms resemble a “t” shape. This is not efficient, and can place the joints under needless stress.
During the eccentric portion of the push-up, if you imagine you are rowing your body down to the floor versus aimlessly dropping down, you will be retracting your shoulder blades (moving them in towards your spine). This is the scapular movement you want. With this mindset and correct scapular movement, there is a much better chance you will be able to control the movement of your elbows (and the rest of your body) and will achieve the desired “arrow” shape.
Other possible cues: “Pull your body down to the floor,” “arrow,” or “elbows in and down.”
Cue #2) “Suction your hands to the floor”
During push-ups, countless people do not pay attention to what their hands are doing. When many people do push-ups they push solely through the base of their wrists, others allow their hands to collapse in, fall out, or a combination. All of the above can lead to joint discomfort (often the wrists, elbows, or shoulders), numerous breakdowns in form, and a lack of control and power.
While I talk about the tripod foot base all the time, I employ a similar strategy with the hands. This often overlooked element can improve your power as you are pressing your body away from the floor, help you execute all components of the exercise in a much more controlled manner, help you maintain proper body positioning, and keep your body feeling good.
In the top position before you descend into the push-up, your weight should be evenly distributed on the base of your hands, and base of your fingers (particularly the thumbs and baby fingers). Maintain this hand position/weight distribution for 100% of the set, but reset in the top position before each rep. Imagine you are suctioning your hands and fingers to the floor (or surface if you are doing hands elevated push-ups).
Other possible cues: “Screw your hands to the floor,” “grip your hands to the floor,” or “spread your hands to the floor.”
Cue #3) “Dead bug”
Essentially, the push-up is a moving plank. Maintaining this moving plank is much easier said than done.
When many people do push-ups, it is extremely common for them to move segmentally and hinge through their lower or mid back, and flare their ribcage. This is especially true when they hit the bottom position and go to press back up.This common mistake can be due to a lack of lumbo-pelvic stability (stability around the torso, hips, and spine), a lack of mindfulness, or a combination.
Proper bracing and torso/rib position have a tremendous impact on push-up performance. Before you initiate each push-up and descend, try to achieve a 360 degree brace around your spine, and subtly close the space on your front side. What I mean by this, you want to contract your core muscles on the front, back, and sides of your torso, and lightly bring your anterior ribs down towards your hips (like you would during a dead bug, hollow body, etc). Do not brace by “sucking in” or “hollowing.” Aim to maintain this tension and body position for the duration of the set, but really reset your brace and torso/rib position in the top position before you perform the next rep (or right before the bottom position if this works better for you).
In order to achieve the above, having people imagine they are about to do a dead bug (either right before they descend into the push-up, or right before they reach the bottom position), is a great way for people to achieve the above, and it can eliminate much of the overthinking that holds people back.
Other possible cues: “Hollow body,” “plank,” “wrinkle the front of your shirt,” “close the space on your front,” “imagine your pet/child is about to jump on your stomach.”
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