Which push ups are best for chest

This often neglected muscle, which spans your upper ribs, helps you move your arms and shoulders. It also provides support to your neck and back muscles. According to the Mayo Clinic , wide pushups are also a beneficial core stability exercise. Having strong core muscles can enhance your balance and posture , protect your back from injury, and make almost any movement easier.

Doing so can help you reap the most benefits and avoid injury. If you have good upper-body strength, you can build up to do 3 to 4 sets of 20 to 30 repetitions. The key is to start slowly and gradually increase the number of sets and repetitions as you get used to this exercise.

Be sure to warm up before doing a set of wide pushups. Try doing some dynamic stretches , like arm circles or arm swings, to get your muscles warmed up and relaxed. Do wide pushups with caution, especially if you have any injuries or have had an injury in the past.

This is especially important for shoulder, back, or wrist injuries. Stop immediately if you experience pain. You can avoid repetitive injuries by cross-training, or doing exercises that target other muscle groups.

This may help you pay attention to your form and the proper alignment of your shoulders, back, and hips. Once you have the correct form down, and have built up your strength, you can transition to the regular wide pushup. Another option is to try staggered-hand pushups by placing one hand in the usual position, below your shoulder, and your opposite hand out wide. This can work one side of your chest at a time. Aim to do wide pushups 3 to 4 times per week, allowing for at least 1 full day of rest in between sessions to help your muscles recover.

When you do pushups in this position, you work more of your upper pectoral muscles and front shoulders. The higher the surface, the harder the exercise will be. You can increase the height over time. Keep your back straight throughout the entire move. To avoid arching your back, tilt your pelvis backward. Engage your core and glutes to stabilize your spine. You should also look down — instead of up — to maintain a neutral neck. Make sure your back and neck are aligned at all times.

When done regularly, decline pushups will help increase your overall upper-body strength. A strong upper body is essential for everyday activities like lifting groceries and carrying a backpack. Use a low bench or step to make decline pushups easier.

The surface should be an inch or two off the ground. To make the decline pushup harder, place your feet on a higher surface. You can also put them on a wall to do an advanced wall pushup.

Another option is to wear a weighted belt or vest, which increases the amount of weight you need to lift. These modifications are advanced moves, so you might want to try them with basic pushups first. Talk to a personal trainer for one-on-one guidance. You can also do the incline bench press , which involves the same muscles.

Due to the upward angle, your arms push against resistance while moving up and away from your torso. To balance your workout, complement your decline pushups with pullups. By doing both pushups and pullups, you can evenly workout the muscles in your upper torso and arms. No one pushup variation is the best, but rather a combination. The conventional pushup is an effective and convenient way to build chest muscles, especially the pectoralis major centered by the sternum.

To perform a correct pushup, begin with the hands slightly wider than the shoulders with the elbows straight. The core should be flexed and back flat, and the feet should be balanced on the toes.

At a controlled pace bend the elbows and lower the chest until the arms reach a degree angle, hold for one second, then return to starting position. Females can perform these pushups on their knees rather than toes. Three sets of eight to 10 reps is a great start. The diamond or closed grip pushup is an excellent variation to challenge the chest muscles with a different force vector, especially challenging for the pectoralis minor muscle.

To perform a diamond pushup set up just as you would for a conventional pushup; however, in this case bring the hands together directly underneath the chest, forming a diamond shape between the thumbs and index finger. At a controlled pace bend the elbows and lower your chest until the arms reach a degree angle, hold for one second, then return to starting position.

Do not progress to these unless you can perform conventional pushups with proficiency.