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For the 2004 single by Freestylers, see Push Up

Animation of a full push-up (the wide positioning of the hands increases the push-up's use of chest muscles as opposed to arm muscles)^[1]

Side view of a push-up

A push-up, or in British English a press-up, is a common calisthenics exercise performed in a prone position by raising and lowering the body using the arms. Push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, with ancillary benefits to the rest of the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole. Push-ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or physical education and commonly in military physical training. They are also a common form of punishment used in the military, school sport, or in some Martial Arts dojos.

In older times this movement was also called a floor dip.^[2]

History[link]

The American English term push-up was first used between 1905 and 1910,^[3] while the British English term press-up was first recorded in 1928.^[4]

Muscles worked[link]

While the push-up primarily targets the muscles of the chest, arms, and shoulders, support required from other muscles results in a wider range of muscles integrated into the exercise.^[5]

Primary muscles

• Anterior and medial deltoids ("delts")
• Triceps
• Pectoralis major and pectoralis minor ("pecs")

Secondary muscles (synergists or stabilizers)

• Rhomboid major and rhomboid minor
• Erector spinae
• Rotator cuff
• Posterior deltoids ("delts")
• Serratus anterior
• Rectus abdominus ("abs")
• Transverse abdominus
• Gluteus maximus ("glutes")
• Quadriceps ("quads")

Variations[link]

In the "full push-up", the back and legs are straight and off the floor. There are several variations besides the common push-up. These include bringing the thumbs and index fingers of both hands together (a "diamond pushup") as well as having the elbows pointed towards the knees. These variations are intended to put greater emphasis on the triceps or shoulder, rather than the chest muscles. When both hands are unbalanced or on uneven surfaces, this exercise works the body core. Raising the feet or hands onto elevated surfaces during the exercise emphasize the upper (minor) and lower (major) pectorals, respectively. Raising the hands with the aid of push-up bars or a dumbbell allows for greater ROM (range of motion) providing further stress for the muscles. In any variation of a push-up, a person will be lifting about 65% of his or her body weight.

Planche push-ups[link]

Another extremely difficult variation is to perform a push-up using only hands, without resting the feet on the floor, i.e. starting from and returning to the planche position. These are known as "planche push-ups". To do this variation, the body's center of gravity must be kept over the hands while performing the push-up by leaning forward while the legs are elevated in the air, which requires great strength and a high level of balance. The entire bodyweight is lifted in this variation.

Knuckle push-ups[link]

Another variation is to perform pushups on the knuckles of the fist, rather than with palms of the hands on the floor. This method is also commonly used in martial arts, such as Karate and Tae Kwon Do, and may be used in boxing training while wearing boxing gloves.

The intent, in addition to building strength and conditioning, is to toughen the knuckles, wrist, and forearm in the punching position. This variation also reduces the amount of strain in the wrist, compared to the typical "palms on floor" approach, and so it is sometimes used by those with wrist injuries. Such practitioners will usually perform their knuckle pushups on a padded floor or a rolled-up towel, unlike martial artists, who may do bare-knuckle pushups on hard floors.

Maltese push-ups[link]

"Maltese push-ups" are a gymnastic variation of the push-up, in which the hands are positioned closer to the hips (as opposed to the pectorals), but with an extremely great distance between them.^[6]

Hindu push-ups[link]

"Hindu push-ups" (aka Hanuman Push-ups, Judo Push-ups or Dive Bomber Push-ups, although the latter vary slightly in the second half of the movement) are a form of exercise prevalent in Indian and Pakistani physical culture and Indian martial arts, particularly Pehlwani. Hindu squats are called Uthak-bethak and the exercise regimen in Indian wrestling often consists of doing the Indian "jack-knifing push-ups", Indian club swinging and squats. The Hindu jack-knifing push-ups are part of the core exercises for building up of strength, stamina, and flexibility of joints.^[7] The dand was also a part of the exercise regimen of Bruce Lee.^[8] They are commonly called swallowdives in English speaking countries.^[9]

To execute a Hindu Push-up, one starts with feet and hands little more than shoulder width apart, forming the body into an upside down "V" and keeping the head, neck, and spine aligned. The arms are touching the ears in this position. From this starting position, commonly called Downward Dog in Yoga, one bends the elbows, lowering the head towards the ground and bringing the chest almost to the ground, while his hips are still about a couple of feet in the air then "swoops" forward to a "Cobra Pose", which means that the head and shoulders are high with unbent elbows but the knees and hips are almost touching the ground. To this point, Hindu Push-ups and Dive Bomber Push-ups are the same. To return to the Downward Dog position in a Hindu Push-up, from the Cobra Pose, raise the abdomen into a normal plank position, then push your hips up and head backwards into Downward Dog. Thus we see that in a Hindu push-up, the head and hips go in circles rather than up and down. In a Dive Bomber Push-up, from the Cobra Pose, bend the elbows again and reverse the execution back into Downward Dog. In a Downward Dog, you should be seeing your knees.^[10]

The simple set of exercises of dand-baithak (push-up and squats) practiced in the villages of India has a beneficial effect on the spine. It takes off the strain from the spine and makes it fit to fight the other strains on the spine caused by the adoption of an erect posture.^[11]

The American College of Sports Medicine (2000) recommends using a push-up test to examine endurance on the upper-body musculature. For a male subject, assuming a dand position, with back straight, head up, and hands placed shoulder width apart, lowering his body with his chin touching the mat; the abdomen should not touch the mat.^[12]

Guillotine push-up[link]

The guillotine push-up is a form of push-up exercise done from an elevated position (either hands on elevated platforms or traditionally medicine balls) wherein the practitioner lowers his chest, head, and neck (thus the name) past the plane of the hands. The goal is to stretch the shoulders and put extra emphasis on the muscles there.

Backhanded push-up[link]

The backhanded push-up is a form of push-ups performed using the back of the hands, rather than the palms. Currently the record holder of the backhanded push-ups is Bill Katham who broke the world record in 2010, by performing 1,940 on Valentine's Day.^[13]

One-arm push-up in extended position by US Army employee

One arm versions[link]

Many of the push-up variations can be done using one arm instead of two. This will further increase the resistance put upon the trainee.

Other versions[link]

There are some less difficult versions, which reduce the effort by supporting some of the body weight in some way. One can move on to the standard push-up after progress is made.

"Wall" push-ups are performed by standing close to a wall and pushing away from the wall with the arms; one can increase the difficulty by moving one's feet farther from the wall.

"Table" or "chair" push-ups are performed by pushing away from a table, chair, or other object. The lower the object, the more difficult the push-up. One should be sure that the object is securely stationary before attempting to push up from it.

"Modified" or "knee" push-ups are performed by supporting the lower body on the knees instead of the toes, which reduces the difficulty. This is useful for warm ups/downs, pyramids/drop sets, endurance training and rehab. It can also be used to train in a more explosive plyometric manner (like clapping pushups) when one can't perform them with the feet. It can also be used with the 1-arm variations as a transition.

"Three phase" push-ups involve simply breaking a standard push up into three components and doing each one slowly and deliberately. Participants usually start face down on the floor with hands outstretched either perpendicular or parallel to the body. The first phase involves the arms being brought palms down on a 90 degree angle at the elbows. The second phase involves the body being pushed into the up position. The third phase is returning to the starting position. This technique is commonly used after a large block of regular push ups, as it poses less stress and requires less effort.

"Diamond" or "Triceps" push-ups are done by placing both palms and the ground and touching together both thumbs and pointer fingers. This technique requires stronger triceps muscles than regular push-ups due to the fact that, at the bottom of the stroke, the forearm is nearly parallel to the ground and the elbow is almost completely flexed, resulting in much higher mechanical load on the triceps.

Plyometrics[link]

Two platforms are placed beside the trainee, one on either side. The exercise begins with the hands on either platform supporting the body, then the subject drops to the ground and explosively rebounds with a push-up, extending the torso and arms completely off the ground and returning the hands to the platforms.

Another is simply an explosive push-up where a person attempts to push quickly and with enough force to raise his or her hands several centimeters off the ground, with the body completely suspended on the feet for a moment, a variation of the drop push. This is necessary for performing 'clap push ups' - i.e. clapping the hands while in the air.

With push-ups, many possibilities for customization and increased intensity are possible. Some examples are: One hand can be set on a higher platform than the other or be farther away from the other to give more weight to the opposite arm/side of the body and also exercise many diverse muscles. One can perform push-ups by using only the tips of the fingers and thumb. For increased difficulty, push-ups can be performed on one arm or using weights.

Push-ups between chairs form an integral part of the "Dynamic Tension" Course devised by Charles Atlas, and similar systems.

Non-training[link]

Push up bars

They are also commonly used as a fitness test or as a mild physical punishment on the spot (whilst benefiting the punished), to show off physically or as demonstration of submission.

In a competitive or disciplinary context especially, it is not rare to use "nastier" variations, e.g., in mud, gravel, snow or dirt, hot ground, divested, and/or to make it physically harder, as by putting one's foot or a weight on the performer's back (possibly with sanctions if equilibrium is lost, such as spilling a glass) or to do the exercise resting on the knuckles or not use all fingers (not counting the thumb).

Record breakers and attempts[link]

The first record for push-ups was documented by Guinness World Records, was 6,006 non-stop push-ups by Charles Linster in 1965, October 5.

The record for the most push-ups non-stop was 10,507, set by Minoru Yoshida of Japan in October 1980.^[14]

Minoru Yoshida's World Record was the last of its category for non-stop push-ups to be published by Guinness World Records. A new category,"Most Push-ups in 24 Hours," has since been introduced.

The current Guinness record for most push-ups in 24 hours is by Charles Servizio (USA) who achieved 46,001 push-ups in just 21 hours, 6 minutes on 1993, April 24 to 25.

The world record for most two-handed backhand push-ups in one hour is 1,940 by Paddy Doyle of the UK, set in 2007.^[15] Doug Pruden (Canada) performed 1,025 one-arm push-ups on the back of the hand on 8 November 2008.^[16]

In the animal kingdom[link]

There are zoology observations that certain animals emulate a push up action. Most notably various taxa of the Fence lizard exhibit this display,^[17] primarily involving the male engaging in postures to attract the female. The Western fence lizard is a particular species that also engages in this behavior.^[18] (It may be noted that in Mexican Spanish push-ups are called "lagartijas", which means "lizards".)

See also[link]

• Bench press
• Calisthenics
• Handstand pushup
• Jumping Jack
• Plank (exercise)
• Sit-up (exercise)
• World Push Up Championships (in New Zealand)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Push-ups

• Learn the One Hand Push Up - MuscleStrong
• "An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up" by Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times, 11 March 2008
• "Variation Push-Up Instructional" by Richard Huntley, 15 March 2010
• Push-Ups Explained at ExRx
• Charles Linster - The original guinness push-up legend - 6,006 non-stop push-ups (YouTube Video)
• The Official Push-Up Hall of Fame (9 Push-Up World Record Holders)