It’s that time again: our fantastic personal trainer Jana McDermid from our Pickering club teaches you the proper form for an important exercise! To book a session with Jana or any of our other personal trainers, call our Pickering location or fill out our online form.
This week, we’re looking at a couple of different variations of the push-up. It’s not just for military recruits who haven’t made their beds properly! Done well, the push-up can be a mainstay of a great workout routine.
From Your Toes:
Place your toes and hands on the floor, making sure your back and arms are straight. Keep your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and tighten your abdominal muscles.
Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor.
Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back.
Modified from your knees:
Place your hands and knees on the floor. Keeping your glutes and abs tight, your back should be in one diagonal line with your head and neck.
Inhale as you lower yourself to the floor, stopping as your elbows reach a 90-degree bend. Keep your body from touching the floor.
Exhale and push yourself away from the floor. Don’t lock your elbows, and don’t bend your back.
Common Push-up Errors
Here are some of the most common push-up errors you’ll see. Avoid them at all costs.
Looking Forward. Hyper-extending your neck can cause neck injuries. Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine from start to finish.
Leading with Your Head. Forward head position from computer work is common. Leading with your head during push-ups aggravates these problems. Both increase the risk of neck injuries. Tuck your chin and lead with your chest.
Letting Your Torso Sag. Often caused by a weak core. Your body must be in a straight line from ankles to shoulders.
Want to learn more? Get in touch with Jana and she’ll show you the ropes!
