Bodybuilding push-ups: everything you need to know

The health benefits of push-ups

Development of muscular strength and endurance

The pumps allow you to develop strength and endurance because they work several muscle groups, mainly the pectorals, shoulders and triceps.

Muscular strength corresponds to the ability to produce maximum effort over a short period of time. By doing inclined or weighted push-ups, while doing short, intense sets, you can improve strength.

Muscular endurance corresponds, conversely, to the ability to maintain moderate effort over a long period of time. Doing long, moderate sets of classic push-ups helps develop this endurance.

Strengthening the stabilizing muscles of the trunk

Doing push-ups strengthens trunk stabilizing muscles : When you are in position, you must remain cored to keep your body straight and aligned from head to toe. 

The stabilizing muscles of the trunk allow maintain the spine, protect internal organs and transmit forces between the upper and lower body. These include the abdominals and lower back, which are used to avoid arching your back and lowering your pelvis too much when you do a push-up.

Push-ups, through the strengthening of these muscles, allows you toimprove posture and balance, And reduce back pain.

Muscle growth and recovery

Pumps make it possible to accelerate the production of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and growth hormone. 

Testosterone has a anabolic effect : it facilitates the synthesis of muscle proteins, which promotes growth and repair of muscle fibers used when doing push-ups.

Growth hormone is also important for muscle recovery and growth: it has an important role in tissue repair, fat mobilization and cell growth.

Fight against cardiovascular diseases

Pumps help prevent cardiovascular disease by improving heart and blood vessel health. Push-ups work your upper body muscles and increase the demand for oxygen and nutrients. The heart must beat faster and harder to send blood to the muscles in use. This allows him to strengthen himself.

Pumps also promote breathing, which facilitates venous return and helps reduce blood pressure. Thus, push-ups reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. 

According to an American study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, men who could do more push-ups had a lower risk 96% of developing cardiovascular disease than those who cannot do 10.

The benefits of push-ups for performance

Explosiveness

Pumps improve upper body power and explosiveness, that is to say the ability to produce maximum effort in a short period of time. This effort is found in sports that require rapid movements, such as basketball or tennis. 

To develop your explosiveness with push-ups, you must perform them with a rapid and powerful movement. If you are comfortable, you can do push-ups by lifting your hands off the ground: this variation uses fast-twitch muscle fibers, which helps develop explosive strength.

Improved cardio

Push-ups work the cardiovascular system by increasing heart rate and oxygen consumption. They use many muscles, which creates a significant demand for oxygen. The heart is then forced to beat faster to send blood to the muscles.

Improved coordination and proprioception

Push-ups require both coordination and proprioception because they require maintaining an aligned and stable posture.

There proprioception corresponds to the sensitivity of the nervous system to the information it receives from the muscles, bones and joints. This allows him to perceive the position of the body and its movements in space. Push-ups work the sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, skin and ligaments. The nervous system will receive signals and adjust muscle contraction.

Improved joint stability

Joint stability is the ability to maintain joint cohesion and alignment under pressure from internal or external forces which can destabilize them. Joint mobility corresponds to the range of our joints, and therefore the freedom of movement that we can exploit with them.

Push-ups work on stability and joint mobility. Indeed, it is necessary to carefully control your position as well as the movement of the joints when doing push-ups. As mentioned previously, they work the stabilizing muscles which ensure the maintenance and protection of the joints.

The benefits of pumps for aesthetics

Sculpt the upper body

Les pompes, en travaillant les muscles du haut du corps, permettent de le sculpter, en particulier les pectoraux et les triceps et d’eliminate bulges under the breast. These two muscles are often considered important for attractiveness and aesthetics in men. Large, defined pectorals can convey virility, confidence and physical health. Refined triceps can convey an impression of dynamism and finesse.

The pumps therefore contribute to strengthen your self-image, and provide a physical satisfaction for men.

Calorie burn

Doing push-ups expends energy, which results in calorie consumption. Depending on the intensity and physical condition, you can burn more or fewer calories over the same training duration.

Pumps also help increase metabolism, i.e. the body's ability to burn calories at rest. Stimulating the production of anabolic hormones (testosterone, growth hormone) promotes muscle protein synthesis and the growth of muscle fibers. The higher the muscle mass, the more calories we will consume.

EObviously, to lose weight optimally, you have to pay attention to your diet and burn more calories than you consume.

Skin appearance

Doing push-ups increases blood circulation and respiration, which has beneficial effects on the skin.

Firstly, blood circulation delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells, which promotes their radiance and renewal. It also eliminates fight against the accumulation of waste and toxins in the skin which can cause inflammation, redness or pimples. The pumps therefore make it possible to purify the skin.

On the other hand, breathing stimulates the production of collagen, an essential protein for the skin. It gives the skin a smooth and firm appearance. This production slows down with age, doing push-ups therefore helps preserve the youthfulness of the skin.

Self-esteem and body satisfaction

Push-ups, just like any other sporting activity, allow you to build confidence in one's own physical abilities. The more you improve, the more your self-esteem increases.

Additionally, one can get body satisfaction by sculpting their upper body with push-ups. They give a firmer and more harmonious appearance to the body. Seeing your physique evolve provides satisfaction and a form of self-respect.

How to perform well and progress on push-ups

The course of the exercise

• Adopt the following starting position: both hands on the ground a little wider than the width of your shoulders, the latter are aligned with the elbows and wrists. Stay cored to keep your body straight, so that you are aligned from head to toe.
• Lower yourself down by bending your elbows and bringing your chest close to the floor. Control the descent. Be careful not to loosen the sheath to stay straight.
• When you touch the ground with your face or chest, push up on your arms to return to the starting position. Don't stick your elbows close to your body, but don't spread them too far apart either.

Vary the difficulty of push-ups

If you are a beginner, start by doing your push-ups on the knees, or by placing your hands on a raised support. When you can do more than ten push-ups on your knees, you can start doing them by standing on your toes. 

To take it to the next level, you can do your push-ups while being elevated : Position yourself so that you have your hands on the ground and your feet on an elevated surface. Don't give up on classic push-ups: combine these two forms of push-ups for a more complete workout!

Pump variations

There are several types of push-ups which, depending on the placement of the hands, will work certain muscles in particular. Here are some examples.

Diamond pumps

Diamond push-ups are a variation of push-ups that primarily target the triceps and pectorals.

• Get into a classic push-up position then bring both hands in front of you, so that your thumbs and index fingers are together. You have to form a triangle or diamond with your fingers.
• Lower down, keeping your elbows close to your body. Just like regular push-ups, keep your back straight and bend your arms to go down.
• Come back up by pushing on your hands. You need to contract your triceps and pectorals.

Slamming push-ups

Slam push-ups are a variation of working push-ups. explosiveness.

• Get into position to do a push-up.
• Go down by bending your arms.
• When going back up, push very hard on your arms to throw yourself off the ground.
• When you are in the air, clap your hands before returning to the ground.

For added power, turn your hands so your fingers are pointing inward.

Archer pumps

Archer push-ups are a very advanced variation of push-ups, which work the muscles unilaterally.

• Get into a plank position with your fingers out and your thumbs forward.
• Bend one arm and go down the side of this arm until you touch the ground.
• At the same time, stretch the other stocking so that it forms a right angle with your body.
• Push on the arm you came down with to return to the starting position.
• Repeat the movement with the other arm.

Spider pumps

This variation uses, in addition to the pectorals and triceps, the obliques, and also works on balance.

• Position yourself to perform classic push-ups.
• When going down, bring one of your knees to the side so that it touches your elbow. Try to hold this position for a second when you get close to the ground.
• Raise and rest your leg.

Weighted/Resistance Pumps

You have the option of including equipment when doing push-ups, so that you increase resistance and challenge yourself. So, you can use an elastic band or a weighted vest to put extra pressure on your body. Doing weighted push-ups adds tension to the muscles, which helps you strengthen and gain volume in the muscles used.

Dumbbell or kettlebell push-ups

To vary your workout, you can perform your push-ups by taking dumbbells or some kettlebells. These free weights give you movement options to work more muscles than traditional push-ups.

For example, you can work your back by performing a rowing movement: when you come up, bring a dumbbell or kettlebell towards your pectorals, so that your elbow extends beyond your back.

Conclusion

Bodybuilding push-ups are a complete exercise that allows you to work your upper body, core but also cardio. They have numerous benefits for health, performance and physical aesthetics. They are accessible to all levels and can be practiced anywhere.

To perform push-ups correctly, it is important to respect technique and body placement. You must also vary the difficulty and variations of this exercise to progress and avoid monotony. Diamond push-ups, incline push-ups or slam push-ups are some examples of variations that you can incorporate into your sessions.

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