Push-up program. Types of push-ups and their health benefits Types of push-ups for different muscle groups

Pushups- this is very effective exercise which develops the chest muscles and triceps muscle(triceps). Also, since this complex exercise, which involves a huge number of muscle groups, it allows a person to maintain his body in fairly good physical fitness, if you practice physical activity regularly.

Today, there are a large number of types of push-ups that involve stress on completely different muscle groups. For example, if you put your hands wide, you will take an active part in the work. BREAST, if you put your hands closer to each other, they will be involved in the work TRICEPS, and most of the load will fall on them.

In addition, there are other types of push-ups that can specifically target top part chest, shoulders and other areas of the body. If you take it seriously this exercise, you can get your body into fairly good physical shape.

Push-ups have always and everywhere been very popular, so we should take a closer look at this exercise. In this article we will take a closer look at this exercise, which you can use to effectively design your workouts and know what's what.

How many push-ups should you do?

If the goal of training is to build muscle mass, you need to concentrate NOT on the number of repetitions, but on the technique of performing push-ups, as well as power load. That is, if you first perform 20 repetitions, then 40, 60, in increments muscle mass the effect will be very small. The point is that training with own weight does not give the same results as training with iron, since the muscles very quickly get used to the load. A high number of repetitions will only allow you to increase your endurance, but hypertrophy muscle tissue this approach will not work.

To work on building muscle mass you need a completely different approach. If you want to build mass with push-ups, you need to increase the load with additional scales. This could be a briefcase filled to the brim with bottles of water, you can put dumbbells there, a bag of sand, in general, anything to increase the weight. Remember, to grow muscles you need to tear them, to do this you need to constantly increase the load. In training with your own body, the work is mainly included, but the quick ones remain unaffected. This is why endurance increases.

Effective muscle work requires a maximum of 20 push-ups and 4 sets. It is much better to monitor the execution technique, complicate the program, and not do more repetitions each time. You can complicate the task in every possible way, but if you have little experience to begin with, you can simply do push-ups according to the classical scheme. Once you can perform 12-15 repetitions without problems, additional weight can be applied. As you gain more experience, you can make the challenge more challenging with more complex movements, for example, try putting one hand behind your back while doing a push-up with one arm.

Push-ups - ANATOMY OF EXERCISE

Thirdly, such exercises will help keep your body in excellent shape. The muscles of people who do not exercise regularly become clogged. Subsequently, such people need to make much more effort to ensure that their physical fitness and body parameters remain at the proper level. But thanks to push-ups, your body will always be in good shape.

Even those people who do not go to the gym for at least a week will feel discomfort in the body. Push-ups will help you avoid discomfort when you don’t have time to exercise.

How NOT to do push-ups on the floor? (TOP 7 MOST COMMON MISTAKES)

At first glance, the Floor Push-Up is a fairly simple exercise that any novice athlete can understand. However, there are many pitfalls that you need to know in order to perform push-ups correctly and with maximum benefit for you. Let's look at the most common mistakes made by beginners.

  1. Push up from the floor using the full range of motion.
  2. Do not place your arms too wide from your body, as shirring your arm position can irritate the rotator cuff muscles or even injure your shoulder.
  3. Never arch or raise your lower back. Keep your body straight. There should be a clear line from your heels to the top of your head. This will help avoid injuries and lower back pain.
  4. Keep your upper back straight. Don't hunch or arch your back.
  5. Do not bend your neck or look forward or upward. Keep your cervical vertebrae in a straight position relative to your torso.
  6. Do not retract your shoulder blades on a constant basis. Your shoulder blades should have a free range of motion, contracting when moving down and retracting when moving up.
  7. When moving down and up, the body should move synchronously. Under no circumstances should you lift the top of your body first, then your lumbar region, creating a bend in the latter.

Let us remind you that the muscles receive the necessary load only when you feel them. So learning to “hear” each of your muscles is the main task for you. This is especially important in relation to the muscles of the chest and arms.

During the lesson, your actions must comply with the recommended technique. Control your back - it should be straight. Make sure your buttocks do not rise high.

Performing the exercise with outstretched arms. Let's start with push-ups. Bend your elbows and lower your body down. The chest should not touch the floor, but it should be at a minimum distance from it. Watch your breathing. When you go down, inhale, when you go up, exhale.

The position of the hands affects the distribution of weight and load. External part The chest muscles and deltoid muscles are included in the work if the arms are placed wide. Close proximity promotes active participation of internal elements pectoral muscles, triceps. The load changes with changes in body position.

WORKING Push-Up Program (+Training Schemes)

Do not forget that restrictions and rules also apply to performing such exercises. There is no need to organize classes according to several schemes at once. This will reduce them useful action. If you are working out in order to get an impressive result, follow the steps, use one training program. If it does not give the desired result, change the program.

If you want to avoid muscle relaxation, reinforce your push-ups with other exercises. There is no need to perform the complex every day. Muscles recover within almost three days, and their active growth is observed during rest breaks.

Many methods have been proposed today. Beginners need to choose a gentle, but at the same time effective program. This, for example, can be called a technique that provides solid muscle mass in six weeks. Such a schedule provides gradual increase number of exercises starting from the fourth week of classes. While doing the exercises, you also perform more lowering and raising with each approach.

It is necessary to consider such a question as types of push-ups from the floor special attention. All of them are divided into groups of different complexity. However, remember that exercise with a huge load may not be effective. Types of activities that are noticeably difficult are suitable only for “seasoned” athletes.

The easiest types of exercises with lowering and raising the body are push-ups from the knees, head up, etc. More difficult are push-ups with hands positioned at width, head down, medium grip, with narrow setting palms. The “winners” in terms of load in this line are push-ups with a jump or on one arm.

No matter what type of push-ups you use, remember: “you can’t jump above your head.” It is better to put stress on the muscles gradually, without skipping classes.

Now about how to practice. There is a rumor among athletes that push-ups must be performed not only in the gym, but also at home. This scheme will supposedly simplify “basic training.” Approach this task carefully and responsibly. Let's say you currently train your pectoral muscles one day a week. To begin with, you can add only one workout at home to this activity. Monitor your feelings. If you feel that you can handle such a load afterward, start doing the exercise gradually on other days of the week. You can train in this mode for a maximum of four weeks. After this period, it is best to return to one lesson per gym and one complex at home.

That's very good program for weight using push-ups (this should be used if you do not go to the gym):

A week Number of repetitions and approaches (recommendations)
1 Daily perform 3 sets of 10-20 repetitions with a regular hand stop (slightly wider than shoulder width) and 3 sets of 10-20 repetitions with a narrow stop. The number of push-ups depends on physical training athlete. You can perform the exercise 2 times a day. You need to perform the exercise slowly and smoothly.
2 Daily performance of 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions with normal hand position and 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions with narrow hand position. It is necessary to do push-ups using additional weights. For example, put 5 kg in your briefcase first extra weight, then increase the weight by 5 kg every week.
3 Everything is the same, only the additional weight will no longer be 5, but 10 kg.
4 + 5 kilograms of additional weight to the total. That is already 15 kg.
Additional tip To make push-ups even more effective, you should use not only different angles of inclination, width of hand positions, but also additional equipment in the form.

Remember, as was said earlier, you should not limit yourself to one exercise; you should perform a whole complex for different muscle groups. However, you get the point. Gradually start with the smallest and gradually increase the load, as was actually shown in the program for a slightly higher weight. Also, if you want to increase the number of repetitions, up to 100-200 push-ups at a time, I advise you to familiarize yourself with the really working one.

Types of Push-ups

As mentioned earlier, there are a large number of types of push-ups that load one or another muscle group. Let's look at the most popular variations, the technique of which must be followed when performing them.

Each type of exercise is intended for athletes of a certain level of training. That is, the classic version, which we discussed above, is intended for both beginners and advanced athletes. However, there are variations that are suitable for a certain level of training; in fact, we will now examine this and much more.

The first option that you should pay attention to after the classic one is push-ups with a narrow hand position. This variation is intended for more experienced athletes. If you can easily perform 12-15 repetitions, you can undoubtedly add this type of push-ups to your routine.

This variation is an antagonist, that is, the opposite of the bench press. narrow grip. Push-ups themselves are analogous to barbell presses, the only difference being that instead of a barbell, you press your own weight.

Exercise technique:

  1. Take your starting position. Lie on the floor with your stomach down, rise up with your arms straight. The torso and legs should seem to create one straight line. Do not bend the spine, do not lift the buttocks up. Place your hands so that thumbs could touch each other. However, you don’t have to place your hands too narrow to include the triceps in the load; it’s enough to place them approximately shoulder-width apart. The most important thing is the elbows, they cannot be spread to the sides during execution, they must be pressed to the body.
  2. Once everything is ready, slowly lower yourself down as you inhale, and rise to the starting position as you exhale. The body should always be straight, you cannot make any bends, deflections, raise your buttocks, and so on.

This type of exercise involves the use of additional equipment in the form of a stable bench. If you are training at home, you can use a chair, but you need to secure it with something so that when doing push-ups, the chair does not “go” forward and the person does not get injured.

This is a fairly easy option that can be used by both men and women. The main advantage of this variety is that while lifting the body to the peak point, the load “falls” to bottom part pectoral muscles.

Exercise technique:

  1. The technique of performing the exercise is quite simple and does not require any additional knowledge regarding this exercise. Everything is exactly identical to classic push-ups. Hands are slightly wider than shoulder width, back straight. Place your hands on the bench, keeping your back motionless, and begin to do push-ups.
  2. During the descent we take a deep breath, during the ascent we exhale. Remember, you don't just need to move up and down, you need to feel your muscles. It will be very useful to perform this variation on the horizontal bars, since there you can grab the pipe and, using a concentrated grip, increase the tension in the target muscles. Grip strength plays a very important role in performing any exercise.

The level of difficulty when using this variation increases, since the load falls on the upper chest, and you perform the exercise at a significant angle, which actually affects the increase in load. The movements also become more difficult, since most of the body weight falls on the arms.

Just like in the previous exercise, this variation must be performed with the same technique as the classic version, the only difference being that you use a bench to complicate the work.

Exercise technique:

  1. Place a bench behind you, place your feet on the bench and rest your hands on the floor. The width of the arms is slightly wider than the width of the shoulders. The hands themselves need to be placed a little further than shoulder level, that is, a little forward.
  2. Take a deep breath and lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor, then return to the starting position.

This option is perfect for beginners. If a person has no experience and cannot do 1-3 push-ups, he should start with the easiest one, namely push-ups from the knees.

Exercise technique:

  1. Take a lying position, rest your knees on the floor. It will be very convenient to cross your legs so that they do not dangle and interfere with you while working. Hands are slightly wider than shoulder width.
  2. As you inhale deeply, lower yourself down, and as you exhale, rise to the starting position.

The difficulty level of push-ups using one arm is very high, so perform this type should only be used by advanced athletes who have been training for several years.

What would you like to say about this variation? It perfectly develops the strength of the athlete's shoulder girdle. Also, in addition to the shoulders, the triceps and pectoral muscles are actively involved in the movement.

Exercise technique:

  1. The starting position is almost no different from the classic version, except for the width of the legs. In this variation, the feet need to be placed much wider to provide support during push-ups. Take the starting position, place your feet wider (as shown in the picture). Place the weight of your upper body on one arm and tuck the other behind your back. When you can maintain your balance without problems, you can start doing push-ups.
  2. If you are trying to perform the exercise for the first time, it is possible that at first you will not be able to completely lower and rise, thereby completing the movement through its full amplitude. In order to master this type of push-up perfectly, you do not need to perform the exercise at full amplitude in the beginning. Go no deeper than 10-15 centimeters, after which every week go lower and lower.

This type is quite difficult to perform and requires some experience, so it is best for beginners to perform classic push-ups.

The advantage of this subtype is that by spreading your arms wider than usual, you thereby remove most of the load from the triceps and transfer it to the pectoral muscles. In this option, the chest muscles are better stretched.

Exercise technique:

  1. As in most of the options that we examined in this article, the starting position in this option is practically no different from the original. The only thing you need to do is spread your arms wider and turn your hands outward, that is, so that they look in different directions, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.
  2. I want to share with all like-minded people.

During push-ups, it is possible to shift the emphasis to those muscle groups that you want to use (triceps, shoulders, chest - read on about this) - in order to emphasize the load, you need to redistribute the load.

The peculiarity of push-ups is that muscle activation occurs immediately after taking the starting position. Regular push-ups help build strength and increase endurance. Some other benefits of push-ups should be noted:

  • the respiratory and circulatory systems are strengthened;
  • metabolic processes improve;
  • The body's immune strength increases.
Author of the article:

coach Anton Muravyov Write

A professional in his field. Qualified trainer. Winner and prize-winner of regional and city competitions. Higher diploma sports education. I am a physical training specialist. I have been involved in martial arts and fitness for over 15 years.

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Push-ups are considered one of the basic exercises designed to build a strong muscle and strength foundation for the upper body using only your own body weight. They are part of the physical training of military personnel and are performed even by the most seasoned athletes. Push-ups are quite easy to learn and do not require any expensive equipment. Another advantage is the variability of this exercise, shifting the emphasis of the load from one muscle group to another. So what muscles swing when pushing up from the floor and what types exist? Let's try to figure it out further.

Several muscle groups of the torso work simultaneously during push-ups:

  • breast
  • triceps
  • shoulders
  • press
  • serratus anterior muscle

Push-ups are performed in a lying position, which also helps develop correct posture.

The pectoralis major muscle is without a doubt the most frequently trained muscle group in bodybuilding and fitness. It is primarily responsible for the pushing actions of the upper body. When you go down and up during push-ups, it does most of the work. Unfortunately, in modern times, these muscles are given much less opportunity to contribute to our daily life, which means they are in an atrophied state for most people. That is why they have enormous potential for both strength and size growth.

During push-ups, the triceps also work. This muscle, depending on the width of the arms, takes more or less load. Occupies 2/3 of the volume of the total mass of the arms and is responsible for their extension.

They consist of three parts - front, middle and back. The greatest stimulation is obtained during seated presses, and push-ups occupy the third place in terms of load received (front part). Despite the fact that they are weaker than the chest, they help lift the body.

Serratus anterior muscle

Give an aesthetic and finished look to your torso. Serve to stabilize and move the scapula forward and outward. Located under the arms in the back of the pectoral muscles. Activate and strengthen with push-ups.

The abdominal muscles also pump during push-ups. Helps you stay upright in a lying position. It is important to remember that in order to see six-pack abs, your body fat level must be low. This means you should still pay more attention to your diet.

The neck sways slightly. To perform horizontal push-ups correctly, it is important to look in front of you rather than down.

As for other muscle groups, for example, the biceps and back - no matter what anyone says or writes, but they are practically not involved (with the exception of only a slight pressure exerted by your own body when lowering), and it is impossible to pump them up with push-ups. To do this, use pull-ups or pull-ups on the bar.

Types of push-ups

There are many types of push-ups, but the most common ones are:

  • narrow
  • wide
  • on one hand
  • with a downward slope
  • with an upward slope

Wide push-ups

An easier version of the exercise, since the amplitude of movement up and down is noticeably reduced due to the wide stance of the arms. Allows you to move your elbows further apart and use your triceps to a lesser extent. Works to the maximum outer part pectoral muscles, giving them volume and fullness.

Narrow push-ups

Here the opposite is true - the elbows are pressed closer to the body, shifting the emphasis to the triceps brachii muscle. The breasts receive less stimulation compared to the previous option. If your goal is to pump up your triceps, then it is better to use another exercise - triceps push-ups.

One-arm push-ups

An incredibly energy-intensive and complex exercise in which the working muscles are not only the chest and triceps, but almost the entire abdominal Press, stabilizing your body during the approach. Develops strength indicators well.

Incline push-ups

Another method for experienced athletes, which maximally includes the upper bundle of the pectoral muscle in the work, forcing you to lift an even larger percentage of your own body. The higher the legs are placed on a hill, the more difficult the exercise will be and the more stimulation it will provide. The abdominal and oblique muscles, as well as the erector spinae muscle, also work, stabilizing the body during execution.

We are sure that push-ups are included in the training program of all men who play sports and want to pump up their muscles. This basic exercise is performed without any equipment - the load is carried out only by its own weight. Push-ups perfectly work the muscles of the arms and back, and also engage the abs and legs. Proof of the effectiveness of this exercise is the fact that all the toughest fighters, athletes, and bodybuilders do push-ups without fail. So, don’t ignore them under any circumstances – it’s better to strive for high results and try all types of push-ups.

In this article, we will look at the rules for performing the exercise, create a program in which you can learn to do 100 repetitions, and also tell you about the types of push-ups.

The advantage of push-ups is the fact that they are suitable for everyone, since they can be done outside gym– you can do push-ups at home even with a minimum of free space.

When performing a push-up program, the following muscle groups are worked:

  • Triceps (turns on when straightening your arms; the triceps receive a special load when doing push-ups with your hands close together).
  • Large pectoral muscles (if your goal is to put a load on these muscles, then focus on push-ups with wide arms).
  • Delta and biceps (during push-ups, they are involved, but receive less load compared to the triceps and pectoral muscles).
  • Gluteal muscles and abs (work statically - by maintaining tension when performing the exercise correctly).

Basic mistakes

Whatever types of push-ups on parallel bars, from a bench, from the floor you choose, remember - only correct execution exercise can bring results. If you do it incorrectly, with mistakes, you can only harm yourself.

When performing the push-up program, remember:

  1. About the correct position of the back. It should be straight throughout the push-up, not arched or rounded, and the shoulders should be pulled towards the shoulder blades, not towards the ears. As soon as you bend your back, the weight will immediately be incorrectly distributed. To make it easier to maintain your posture, constantly make sure that the muscles of your core, buttocks, and back are tense.
  2. Pain and sport are not best friends. Yes, training should be based on a constant increase in load, which is associated with discomfort for the muscles. You should feel tension, a burning sensation, but not acute pain - it already signals some kind of “breakdown” in the body, and before returning to exercise, you should find out the cause and eliminate it.
  3. You shouldn’t chase sports records, but you shouldn’t feel sorry for yourself either. The increase in load should be constant but smooth. On the first day of the program, you should not try to do 100 push-ups at once. The exercises should be performed in sets (with short breaks between sessions), gradually increasing the number of repetitions in each of them.
  4. Do not forget that before exercise you must warm up and warm up your muscles. Our muscles are like plasticine - if you first knead them and make them warm, then you can sculpt anything from them, but if you try to work with “raw material”, then the muscles will simply tear.
  5. Push-ups alone won't help. Weak core abs, hip flexors, and shin extensors prevent you from performing push-ups. When performing an exercise, the body gives up not only when the agonist muscles (triceps, pectoral, deltoid) get tired, but also when the stabilizing muscles (abs and legs) cannot cope with the task. It is important to follow comprehensive program and work all the muscles.
  6. Doing push-ups too fast or too slow is not recommended. It is best to perform one repetition within 1.2–1.5 seconds. This time is considered optimal.

You need to start from the base

There are several dozen types of push-ups. A little later we will list the most interesting views, allowing you to work out various muscles and give more high load. But before we begin to describe them, let's talk about the basic exercise.

Remember: until you master it properly and achieve noticeable results in its implementation, forget about more difficult options. First, make sure you are performing the basic push-up correctly:

  • Take a lying position, arms and legs straight, palms slightly wider than shoulders, feet together.
  • As you exhale, bend your elbows and lower yourself down, trying to touch the floor with your chest.
  • As you exhale, take the starting position.

How can you learn to perform the maximum number of repetitions? The correct thing to do is to gradually increase the load. There are many types of push-up programs.

Sample program

(5 days of intense push-ups + 2 days of rest)

Number of exercises (rest between sets – 2–3 minutes)

First approach

Second approach

Third approach

Fourth approach

Fifth approach

After you can easily complete the program in week 4, you can move on to more complex types of exercises instead of further increasing the number of repetitions.

Complicated options

Let's look at more complicated options:

  1. Increase your strength threshold. To do this, start using weights in the form of a sports vest or discs (ask your teammates or trainer to place weights on your back during your push-ups). As practice shows, when you learn to do push-ups with weights 50 times, then regular push-ups of a hundred repetitions will not be difficult.
  2. Remove the sketch reflex. When performing an exercise, the muscles, in response to a strong stretch, reflexively tend to contract, and vice versa. This is called the sketch reflex. We will lose it if, when performing push-ups at the bottom point, we completely lie with our chests on the floor and lift our palms off the floor. This type of push-up is much more difficult to do, since the mechanism of muscle work and amplitude increase.
  3. Engage your leg. In push-ups, you can very well work out the muscles of the legs, abs and increase the load on the delta of the arms - for this you should try the Dutch push-up (it is also called the “grasshopper”). The exercise is performed as follows: pause at the bottom of the push-up, lift one leg a couple of centimeters from the floor and move it to the side (do not bend). Bring your leg back over the side, place it on the floor, and straighten your arms. In addition, mobility of the hip joints develops.
  4. Do push-ups on the floor with only one arm. When performing the exercise, it is allowed to move one supporting leg to the side (otherwise it will not be possible to maintain balance). One-arm push-ups are good for building up the muscles in the shoulder girdle.
  5. Try the American Corkscrew. A rather complex exercise, performed as follows: starting position lying down, arms slightly wider than shoulders, feet moved forward towards the head (so that the legs are slightly bent at the knees and the pelvis is raised towards the ceiling). As you exhale, lower your pelvis to the side (you need to touch the floor with only one side, do not fall over), while simultaneously bending your elbows. Return to the starting position.
  6. Do push-ups on the floor using your fists. It is done in the same way as the basic exercise, only the emphasis is not on the hands, but on the knuckles. You should try to distribute the weight on the knuckles of the index and middle fingers, as they are the strongest. This type of push-up is useful for those who practice martial arts (a more complicated version is push-ups on the fingers, but it is very traumatic and requires lengthy training).
  7. Do the Japanese uchi-machi push-up. Used for training judokas and very well strengthens the spinal extensors, buttocks and the entire core. This is done as follows: in starting position Lift one leg off the floor and extend it parallel to the floor. Lower yourself down on your hands, pause, lift your leg as high as possible, rise up on your hands and return your leg to the starting position (do not touch the floor with your leg throughout the entire approach).
  8. Do push-ups with accents (such push-ups are called “English” or “different names”). In the starting position, place one arm a little higher (the shoulders are not in a straight line, but on a diagonal line), and raise the opposite leg above the floor. Do not fall over when lowering and lifting. This push-up allows you to load the rectus abdominis muscle and hip flexors.
  9. Try the Russian push-up. The difference from the classic push-up is that it is performed with your hands resting on the weights lying in front of you. When bending your arms, you should try to go as low as possible. Unstable support allows you to add load to the shoulders and forearms, increase rotation humerus, work out your wrist grip well (it affects the force of the blow).
  10. Work your back with the diving push-up. The starting stance is supported on the hands and feet with the pelvis raised and the head lowered (in yoga this pose is called “downward dog”). Bend your arms and at the same time make a wave-like movement with your body - as if you are crawling through a gap under a low gate. Smoothly lower your pelvis and legs to the floor, arching your back and raising your head. Repeat the movement in reverse order. This exercise is very beneficial for the spine.

Finally, we draw your attention once again: despite the simplicity of the push-up program, it can cause harm if you do the exercises incorrectly. Train carefully, do not load your muscles right away, increase the level of difficulty gradually, watch your breathing. Do push-ups regularly, don't skip classes. This is the only way you can achieve high results and pump up the muscles of your arms, chest, and core using push-ups. Good luck in sports!

This 17 push-up workout to failure will test your endurance and tone your pecs, triceps and shoulders.

Are your pecs or shoulders lagging, or maybe your triceps need a serious shake-up to get them growing?

Or perhaps you'd like to improve their shape and size while maximizing your metabolism while reducing your fat percentage to the single digits? Do you want to know what types of push-ups are for different muscle groups?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the program and methodology below may be just what you need.

The described workout is difficult and will require extreme effort from you. physical strength, but in the end, every drop of sweat will be worth it.

Before the methodology high intensity training() came to the rescue of the legions of desperate musclemen who spent countless hours doing slow-paced, low-intensity exercise, bringing them the desired relief of fat while preserving muscle mass; for many, trying to maintain this balance ended in metabolic collapse and disastrous results.

Now, by combining short, ultra-intense bouts with short periods of rest and/or active recovery in 15-20 minute periods, dedicated athletes can achieve phenomenal results in both maintaining muscle mass and losing weight quickly. And although cardio often plays a leading role when it comes to losing fat, for many it does not provide the desired effect when it comes to quality muscle volume.

If you perform rapid series strength exercises on different groups muscles to failure one after another, interspersed with rest only sufficient to recover for the next approach, the muscles are forced to work with greater efficiency, more blood is supplied to the target muscle groups, and the metabolism receives a strong impulse to accelerate. If you apply this approach wisely, you will certainly achieve a leaner and more muscular body.

The following workout uses HIIT principles to primarily target the chest/shoulders/triceps.

Give it a try. Get used to it. Use it wisely, and your pectorals will have no choice but to get stronger.

Video - types of push-ups and their functions

We've already covered the topic in detail, now it's time to use the right technique to pump up your muscles.

Training program

Types of push-ups Approaches Repetitions
1. With cotton 1 To failure
1 To failure
3. With weight transfer on one hand 1 To failure
4. On inclined surface reverse grip 1 To failure
5. Weighted 1 To failure
1 To failure
7. Spiderman push-ups (Spiderman) 1 To failure
8. On a surface with a negative slope 1 To failure
9. With cross lift 1 To failure
1 To failure
11. With a pause 1 To failure
12. With a wave of your hand up 1 To failure
13. On fists 1 To failure
14. With a bend in the lower back 1 To failure
15. On an inclined surface with a wide grip 1 To failure
16. On one leg 1 To failure
17. Narrow grip 1 To failure
  • Follow different kinds push-ups as one giant set, resting 45 seconds to 1.5 minutes between each exercise (depending on your skill and recovery speed).
  • Each exercise should be performed for as many repetitions as you can (AMRAP). Twenty reps per set will mean you have excellent endurance.
  • This workout is designed for those who have at least a year of good training experience.
  • If you are not yet so experienced (or just starting out), it is better to modify the workout for safety reasons. If you are a beginner, you should reduce the number of repetitions, eliminate some movements and/or increase the rest time between sets.
  • Always start with a warm-up.

1. Explosive clap push-ups

These types of movements help develop explosive force in the arms, chest and shoulders, it concentrates on fast muscle fibers, the development of which will give you an impressive increase in volume.

To perform this movement, you'll need to add some elements to your regular pushup.

Plyometric (explosive) push-ups mean that you need to accelerate in the eccentric phase (the negative phase of the movement, that is, the downward movement). Don't pause at the bottom. Instead, move from the eccentric to the concentric phase as quickly as possible, that is, try to push your body up as quickly as possible so that at the end of the movement you gain maximum speed and have time to clap your hands. Instead of stopping at the end, accelerate, lift your hands off the ground and perform a clap. Land in the starting position and continue with the exercise while maintaining control.

2. Push-ups with feet on a fitball

3. One-arm push-ups

In this push-up variation, one hand has to stabilize the body while you bring the other hand under your working hand. This way you need to maintain balance and prevent your shoulder from twisting.

To perform it, take a standard lying position; perform one repetition, lift your hand off the ground and bring it behind the opposite (supporting) one, touch the ground and return it to its place. Complete one repetition and do the same on the other side. Perform until you reach the desired number of repetitions. The number of repetitions for this movement can be reduced due to its difficulty.

4. Incline push-ups with reverse grip

This exercise is performed in a lying position, but inner part hands should look forward, this variation works more muscles compared to normal. Along with the chest, the work includes the shoulders, arms, legs, core muscles and upper back.

To perform it, grab the bar, your body should be inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the surface, your toes resting on the floor. Take a reverse grip, slowly lower your body towards the bar and push up.

5. Weighted push-ups

This is an advanced version of the regular push-up that has been around for a long time. Weighted push-ups use the same muscles, but put more stress on them. With added weight, this movement better replicates a traditional bench press than a simple push-up. Additionally, since the weight must be kept in balance, more stabilizer muscles are recruited to perform the movement.

Get into a standard prone position and have your partner place a barbell plate on your back. Trying to maintain your balance, perform a regular push-up.

6. Sideways push-ups

This movement, which requires more coordination and flexibility compared to simple push-ups, uses the external and inner side pectoral muscles, and also loads the core muscles.

To perform this, take a standard prone position, but place your hands a little closer to each other and your legs wider. Do a push-up. Then spread your arms wider and bring your legs together. Do a second push-up. Alternate until you have completed the desired number of repetitions.

7. Spiderman push-ups

In addition to working the key muscles for push-ups, this movement also improves flexibility and mobility of the pelvis, as well as promoting good posture and mobility throughout the body.

To perform this, do a regular push-up from a standard bench position, but spread your elbows slightly on the way down. As your body lowers to the ground, pull your right knee toward your right elbow, straighten it, and rise into the starting position while lying down. Repeat for the other side. Changing sides, perform the desired number of times.

8. Push-ups on a surface with a negative slope (with your feet resting on the wall)

Negative incline push-ups focus on the upper pecs to work that stubborn area. This movement can be challenging at first, but as you get the hang of it, you'll appreciate how well it works your upper body (since your legs aren't involved in the work).

To perform, place your feet against the wall and your body should be at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Lower your body until your forehead touches the floor. Do push-ups.

9. Push-ups with cross lift (arm/leg)

This movement is even more demanding on the stabilizing muscles of the core, since the arm and opposite leg leave the ground at the same time. It must be performed slowly, with perfect plank technique.

To perform this, do a regular push-up, but on the upward movement, pull forward left hand, while simultaneously pulling back and up right leg. Lower your arms and legs to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side. Switch sides and do required amount repetitions.

10. Shoulder touch push-ups

This movement works the muscles throughout your upper body while challenging your core to stabilize you at the top of each rep.

To perform, assume a standard push-up position, push up once, then hold your torso in a prone position with your arms fully extended. Stretch your hand across the body and touch the opposite shoulder; perform the next repetition. Change sides as many times as desired.

11. Push-ups with a pause

By pausing at the bottom of a standard push-up, you prevent the spring reflex (the tendency of the muscles to return to a neutral state), which otherwise would help you on your way up.

To perform this, do a standard push-up, but instead of immediately pushing your body up from the bottom, hold at the bottom for two full seconds. Then explosively return to the starting position.

12. Push-ups with an arm swing

This movement develops rotational strength in the core muscles while working the pecs, shoulders, and arms one side at a time.

To perform, start with your body lowered to the ground, as in a simple push-up. Explosively lift your body to arms outstretched, but instead of stopping, allow one arm to lift off the floor. Raise this arm towards the ceiling, turning your body completely towards it. Keep your entire body straight and roll onto the side of your foot as you repeat. Repeat the same for the other side and perform the desired number of times, or better yet, until failure.

13. Push-ups

This movement is great way avoid breaking the hand, which to one degree or another occurs with all other variations of push-ups (instead of the base of the hands, the load falls on the fists).

To perform this, take a standard push-up position, but press your fists rather than your open palms onto the floor. Do push-ups in this position.

14. Push-ups with a bend in the lower back

The backbend push-up (or Chaturanga Dandasana) requires more force in the combined movements of the core compared to other variations. In particular, with each repetition you need to engage the pelvis and the entire shoulder girdle. The mobility of the thoracic spine also improves.

To perform, take a standard lying position, lower your body completely down so that your pelvis touches the floor, push up and transfer your body weight to your heels. Push your pelvis up as high as possible, extending your arms until your chest is fully extended, hold this position for a second, then repeat.

15. Incline push-ups with wide grip

This movement is a great way to engage all of the large sections of the pectoral muscles, focusing on the lower part. In addition, thanks to the wide grip, more load goes to the chest and less to the shoulders and triceps.

To perform, rest against the bar on the Smith machine so that your body is at an angle of 45 degrees, as wide as you can, remembering to control your body movements in all phases. Lower yourself slowly and explosively return to the starting position.

16. One-legged push-ups

This is a great way to work your stabilizer muscles while also targeting your pecs, shoulders, triceps, and core.

To perform, take a standard position while lying down, placing one leg on the floor and lifting the other up. For the first repetition, keep one leg suspended, for the next, change to the other, repeat.

Remember to keep your glutes and entire core tight to prevent your body from swaying from side to side with each repetition.

17. Close grip push-ups

This movement is effective method work your triceps to increase their strength and volume. Compared to wide-grip push-ups, it involves keeping the body as compact as possible. Keep your elbows close to your body and your shoulders tense.