Push ups are a great way to build functional upper body strength, but they’re also known as one of the hardest exercises to perform. Despite their simplicity, mastering a push up can be a challenging feat for many people. Often, push ups are the exercise we dread the most at the gym, but why is that?
Push ups require not only upper body strength, but also core stability and proper form. It’s easy to cheat a push up by allowing your hips to sag or letting your elbows flare out. To do a push up correctly, you need to engage your entire body and maintain a strong mind-muscle connection. This type of control and focus takes practice and patience.
Many people underestimate the importance of proper breathing during a push up. Without conscious breath control, you’re likely to run out of steam quickly. Additionally, the long lever arm created by the position of your arms in a push up means your muscles have to work harder to maintain the position. These factors combined result in the push up being one of the hardest exercises to nail down, but don’t be discouraged! With consistent practice and attention to form, anyone can master the push up.
Factors that Make Push-Ups Challenging
Push-ups are undoubtedly one of the most challenging exercises. Even the fittest individuals struggle to do several reps without breaking a sweat. Several factors contribute to this difficulty, making it a highly effective exercise for fitness enthusiasts and athletes.
- Body Weight Resistance: Push-ups require you to lift your entire body weight using your arms and chest. This intense resistance against gravity makes it a tougher exercise than bench presses or dumbbell flys. Your muscles need to work harder to lift and lower all of your weight, which is a significant challenge even for the strongest athletes.
- Multiple Muscle Groups: Push-ups engage several muscle groups, including the chest, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and core muscles. Coordinating all of these muscle groups while maintaining proper form is an intense challenge and requires significant strength and endurance.
- Range of Motion: The full range of motion in a push-up requires you to lower your body all the way down until your chest touches the ground, and then push yourself back up with straight arms. Many people struggle to complete the full range of motion, making it a challenging exercise for beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts alike.
The Importance of Proper Form in Push Ups
Push ups are one of the most popular and effective bodyweight exercises. They target multiple muscle groups in the upper body and can improve your strength and endurance. However, push ups are also one of the hardest exercises to perform with proper form. In fact, many people do push ups incorrectly, which can lead to poor results, injuries, and discomfort. Here’s why proper form is important when doing push ups:
- Reduced risk of injury: If you do push ups with improper form, you increase the risk of injury to your wrists, shoulders, neck, and back. By maintaining proper form, you can minimize the stress on these parts of your body and reduce the risk of injury.
- Better activation of muscles: If you do push ups with improper form, you may not be engaging the right muscles. For example, if you let your hips sag or don’t keep your core tight, you’re not effectively working your abs and lower back muscles. Proper form ensures that you’re engaging the right muscles and getting the most out of the exercise.
- Improved performance: Proper form allows you to perform push ups more efficiently and effectively. By maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels, you can generate more power and push yourself up with greater ease. This can help you perform more reps and increase your overall strength.
Here are some tips to help you maintain proper form when doing push ups:
- Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your wrists directly below your shoulders.
- Engage your core and keep your back straight throughout the movement.
- Lower yourself until your chest touches the ground or your arms form a 90-degree angle.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position by fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To ensure that you’re doing push ups with proper form, you can also use a mirror or have a friend watch you. By following these tips and maintaining proper form, you can get the most out of your push ups and avoid injuries.
| Common Mistake | Proper Form |
|---|---|
| Hips sagging or piking up | Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels. |
| Head drooping or looking up | Keep your head in a neutral position and gaze toward the ground. |
| Elbows flaring out | Tuck your elbows in and keep them at a 45-degree angle to your body. |
By avoiding these common mistakes and following the tips above, you can perform push ups with proper form and get the best possible results.
How to Modify Push Ups for Different Fitness Levels
Push ups are considered one of the hardest exercises not only by beginners but also by athletes. That’s because push-ups work your chest, triceps, shoulders, and core all at the same time. However, there are variations that you can do to make push-ups easier or harder. Here are some modifications that you can do depending on your fitness level.
Easier Modifications
- Knee Push-ups: Instead of doing a full push-up, lower your knees to the ground. This modification reduces the weight on your upper body, making it easier for beginners to perform.
- Hands Elevated Push-ups: Place your hands on a raised surface, such as a bench or a box, to decrease the amount of weight that you have to lift.
- Wall Push-ups: Stand facing a wall and place your hands on the wall. Slowly lower your body towards the wall and push back up. This modification is an excellent way to build the necessary strength to do a full push-up.
Harder Modifications
If you have mastered the basic push-up and want to challenge yourself, try these variations:
- One-Arm Push-Ups: Start in a normal push-up position, but place one hand behind your back. Lower your body and push back up with only one arm.
- Clap Push-Ups: Explosively push up with enough force to bring your hands off the ground. While in the air, clap your hands together before landing back in a push-up position.
- Spiderman Push-Ups: During the push-up, bring one knee towards your elbow while keeping the rest of your body straight. Alternate sides with each repetition.
Proper Form
No matter the variation, it’s crucial to maintain proper form when performing push-ups. Here’s a quick guide to ensure that you’re doing them correctly:
| Step: | Instructions: |
|---|---|
| 1. | Get in a plank position, with your hands slightly wider than your shoulder-width apart and your feet together. |
| 2. | Make sure that your body is straight from your head to your heels. Engage your core muscles. |
| 3. | Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows close to your body. |
| 4. | Stop when your chest is about an inch above the floor. |
| 5. | Push yourself back up until your arms are fully extended. Keep your core engaged throughout the repetition. |
Perform push-ups slowly and with control. If you’re struggling to maintain good form, go back to an easier variation and focus on building your strength and technique before moving on to harder modifications. Remember, quality over quantity is key when it comes to push-ups.
Push Up Variations for More Intense Workouts
Push ups are considered one of the most challenging bodyweight exercises that work to build upper body strength and endurance. But did you know that adding some variations to your push up routine can increase the intensity and difficulty level of your workouts significantly? Here are some variations you can try to make your push up routine more challenging:
- Decline Push Ups: This push up variation shifts the weight distribution towards the upper body, making it more challenging. Place your feet on an elevated surface, such as a step or bench, and perform a regular push up.
- Diamond Push Ups: Start in a regular push up position, but bring your hands together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers. This variation targets your triceps more than a regular push up.
- One-handed Push Ups: This push up variation is the ultimate challenge for your upper body strength. Start in a regular push up position, but place one hand behind your back and perform a push up using only one hand.
While these variations can make your push up routine more challenging, be sure to maintain proper form to avoid injury. Start with the easier variations and gradually progress to the more challenging ones.
If you are looking for a more structured approach to incorporating push up variations into your workout routine, you can try the following table:
| Level | Push Up Variation | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Wall Push Ups | 10-12 |
| Intermediate | Knee Push Ups | 8-10 |
| Advanced | Decline Push Ups | 6-8 |
| Expert | One-handed Push Ups | 4-6 |
Adding push up variations to your workouts can help you avoid plateauing and keep your body guessing. Remember to progress your workouts gradually to avoid injury and increase your overall strength and muscle tone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During Push Ups
Push ups are considered one of the toughest bodyweight exercises to perform. The primary reason behind this is that it involves a lot of muscle groups to work together in order to complete a single repetition. Due to this fact, it is important to make sure that you are performing push ups in the most effective manner possible. Push ups can be modified for different fitness levels, but regardless of your level, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid in order to prevent injury and maximize results.
- Allowing your elbows to flare out: One of the most common mistakes that people make while performing push ups is allowing their elbows to flare out. When your elbows are at the sides of your body, it puts more emphasis on your triceps, whereas when your elbows are flared out, it puts more pressure on your shoulders and puts you at risk of injuring your rotator cuffs.
- Arching your back: Arching your back or sagging your hips during push ups can cause lower back pain and will take the emphasis off your chest muscles. Maintaining a straight line from head to toe is crucial in getting the most out of your push ups.
- Not engaging your core: Your core plays a vital role in performing push ups as it helps stabilize your body. Failure to engage your core will make this exercise more difficult and could result in an injury.
In addition to these common mistakes, there are also specific mistakes that beginners tend to make. For example, not starting with proper form or trying to perform too many push ups too quickly. It is important to master the basic form before progressing to more difficult variations. Below is a table of different push up variations and their difficulty level, with basic push ups being the easiest and hands-elevated push ups being the most difficult:
| Push Up Variation | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| Basic Push Up | Easy |
| Wide-Grip Push Up | Moderate |
| One-Legged Push Up | Difficult |
| Clapping Push Up | Very Difficult |
| Hands-Elevated Push Up | Most Difficult |
By avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on proper form, push ups can be an effective exercise for building strength and endurance in your upper body and core.
The Benefits of Including Push Ups in Your Exercise Routine
If you want to strengthen your upper body muscles, push ups are one of the most effective bodyweight exercises that can help you achieve this goal. Moreover, push ups are considered the hardest exercise, as they target not only your chest but also your shoulders, triceps, and core muscles, making them an excellent exercise for improving your overall strength and fitness level. Here are some of the benefits of including push ups in your exercise routine:
- Increase Upper Body Strength: Push ups are a classic exercise for building upper body strength. When you perform push ups, you work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles. The more you do them, the stronger your upper body becomes. Push ups are also a great way to build endurance, as they require you to push yourself up from the floor repeatedly.
- Improve Core Strength: Push ups require you to maintain a straight line from your head to your heels, engaging your core muscles throughout the movement. As a result, push ups can help you develop a stronger core, which provides stability and more support to your upper and lower body.
- Enhance Posture: Push ups engage many muscles that are essential for proper posture and alignment. By strengthening your upper body and core, push ups can help you improve your posture and prevent back pain caused by poor posture.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, push ups can also help you burn calories, improve your cardiovascular system, and increase your flexibility. However, it is important to keep in mind that push ups are a challenging exercise, and it’s important to start slowly and progress gradually to avoid injury. Also, it’s essential to use proper form and technique to get the most out of the exercise and prevent unnecessary strain.
If you’re looking to add more push ups to your exercise routine, you can try different variations, such as incline push ups, decline push ups, or diamond push ups, to target specific muscles and increase variety.
| Push Up Variation | Target Muscles |
|---|---|
| Standard Push Up | Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core |
| Incline Push Up | Lower Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core |
| Decline Push Up | Upper Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Core |
| Diamond Push Up | Triceps, Chest, Shoulders, Core |
Overall, push ups are a compound exercise that can help you achieve many health benefits, including increased upper body strength, improved posture, and enhanced core stability. By incorporating push ups into your exercise routine, you can achieve your fitness goals and improve your overall health and well-being.
How to Progressively Improve Your Push Up Technique
Push-up is considered the hardest bodyweight exercise because it targets not only a specific muscle group but also your core, shoulders, and triceps. Performing a full push-up requires stability, strength, and control, making it quite challenging for many. However, with the right progression and technique, anyone can perform a perfect push-up. Here are some tips:
- Start with a modified push-up where you place your knees on the floor for support. This modification will help you build enough strength to move to a full push-up.
- Gradually move from the knee push-up to a half push-up where you only lower your upper body halfway down to the ground.
- Master the half push-up by performing three sets of 10-15 repetitions every other day.
Once you’ve mastered the half push-up, progress to a full push-up. Here are some additional tips to help you perform a perfect push-up:
- Keep your core tight and your body straight throughout the exercise.
- Position your hands directly under your shoulders and keep your elbows in.
- Lower your chest to the ground by bending your elbows and keeping them close to your body.
- Push yourself back up using your chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles.
- Perform three sets of 10-15 repetitions every other day.
Lastly, it’s essential to track your progress to know how far you’re coming along. Also consider creating a push-up program by creating a table to track the number of repetitions and sets you can perform. Gradually, increase your push-up repetitions over time.
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 sets of 5 reps | 3 sets of 6 reps | 3 sets of 7 reps |
| 2 | 3 sets of 7 reps | 3 sets of 8 reps | 3 sets of 9 reps |
| 3 | 3 sets of 9 reps | 3 sets of 10 reps | 3 sets of 11 reps |
By following these tips and tracking your progress, you’ll soon be able to perform a full push-up with ease. Remember, consistency and discipline are key to mastering the push-up.
FAQs: Why is Push Up the Hardest?
1. Are push ups really that hard?
Yes, push ups are considered one of the most challenging exercises out there. They require strength, endurance, and strict form to perform correctly.
2. Why are push ups so difficult to do?
Push ups are hard because they require a combination of upper and lower body strength, core stability, and proper form. A lot of muscles such as the shoulders, arms, chest, back, abs, glutes, and legs are involved.
3. Why do push ups hurt my wrists?
Poor wrist positioning can cause pain and discomfort during push ups. Make sure to keep your wrists in a neutral position, stacked under your shoulders, and engage your forearms.
4. Can push ups be modified for beginners?
Yes, push ups can be modified based on your fitness level and goals. You can start with wall push ups, knee push ups, or incline push ups, and gradually progress towards full push ups.
5. How often should I do push ups?
It depends on your training program, but generally, 2-3 times per week is enough to see results. Make sure to incorporate other exercises, rest days, and proper nutrition as well.
6. What are the benefits of doing push ups?
Push ups have numerous benefits, such as improving upper body strength, core stability, posture, muscle endurance, bone density, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being.
Closing Thoughts
Congratulations on finishing the article on why push ups are hard. We hope you found it informative and helpful. Remember, push ups may be tough, but with practice and patience, you can improve your form and strength. Thanks for reading and be sure to check back for more fitness tips and advice.