Welcome to the 5 Progressions to your first push up
A while ago I started a series of blog posts dedicated to compound movements.
So far I’ve covered the squat and the deadlift and it seems like it’s about time we move on to the next one, namely the progressions to your first push-up.
We all know it – push-ups are a great way to test and improve your strength.
To some extent, I feel like it is somehow assumed that it’s natural for men to practice them but that they’re not necessarily a part of a woman’s training plan or it’s just not a skill a woman must/should master.
Is that just my feeling about it?
Anyway, I am happy to see more and more women at the gym incorporating push-ups in their programs, despite that quite often their form is far from perfect (no judgment there – I know that for the longest time my own push-up sucked).
Although the prime focus of this article isn’t about mastering the perfect push-up technique, here are the main guidelines to follow:
- Position your hands in a way that when looked at from above, your arms look like an arrow, rather than the letter T.
- It’s safer for your shoulders and produces greater muscle activation.
- Contract your core and don’t let your hips sag, causing you to go into anterior pelvic tilt.
- Don’t do half reps – use the full range of motion.
- Bring Sally all the way up and all the way down!
- Position your hands all the way down!
If you are struggling to do a proper push-up or any push-up at all for that matter – don’t ya worry my friend!
Related read to the 5 Progressions To Your First Push Up article:
The myth of the “toned body”
Check out these 5 progressions to assist you with getting your first push-up!
Remember – move on to the next one only once you can perform the previous one with a good form for at least a couple of sets.
5 Progressions To Your First Push Up
1. Plank
Mix things up – do both high planks and elbow planks, and hold them for as long as
you can, and repeat 3-5 times.
Once you feel comfortable enough with planks, progress to shoulder taps.
Aim for 3-4 sets of 30 reps.
Ugh. Despite that for me personally, the plank is probably the least enjoyable exercise ever, its benefits are undeniable.
For a good push up you need to have a strong midline.
Building up the strength for holding a plank position for at least a minute will help you avoid that push-up mistake I mentioned before – the sagging hips and lumbar hyperextension.
2. Incline Push-Up
Incline push-ups are great!
The best thing about them is that by reducing the height, you can increase the level of difficulty and vice versa.
Just find a stable and hard elevated surface and go wild.
With the push-ups, that is.
Like I said before – get comfortable with the movement before progressing to the next exercise.
Related read to the 5 Progressions To Your First Push Up article:
20 EMOM workouts to test your strength and conditioning
3. Knee Push-Up
The setup for a knee push-up is very much like the setup for any other push-up – hands are placed slightly wider than shoulder-width, the core is engaged and tight, and you bend the elbows and lower your upper body until your chest touches the ground.
The only obvious difference is that you are on your knees and thus moving less weight.
It doesn’t really matter if you keep your legs like mine or just rest them on the ground – just go with whatever is more comfortable for you.
4. Negative Push-Up
A negative push-up simply means that your starting position is a high plank and you slowly lower yourself down, practicing the eccentric phase of the push-up.
Once your chest touches the ground (or you reach the lowest point at which you can still control the movement), comfortably readjust and start from the top again.
Related read to the 5 Progressions To Your First Push Up article:
Top 8 Glute Exercises to Strengthen and Shape Your Behind
5. Single Push-Up
The last step from the progressions is the single push-up.
You already know the setup – just start from the ground and push yourself up to an ending position.
When these get easy, progress to stringing 2 and more push-ups together in a set.
And there you go!* (*Read with the voice of the old guy from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.)
Just remember that as always form comes first!
A few other topics that might interest you:
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the first progression of a push-up?
The first progression would be the plank – do both high planks and elbow planks, hold them for as long as you can, and repeat 3-5 times. This is a great starting point for a beginner.
How should a beginner start push-ups?
A beginner should incorporate push-up progressions. An example of that would be the plank or the incline push-up to start building the foundation.
How can I progress my push-ups?
Here are 5 ways how you can progress:
– Planks
– Incline push-up
– Knee push up
– Negative push up
– Single push up
How many push-ups a day is good?
Start with a number that you can do and repeat it each day. If it’s one push-up a day, do one push-up a day and move on to two in the future. Small wins will accumulate to big wins.
So, let’s chat:
- Do you find push-ups challenging?
- Do you include them in your training program?
- Have you tried any of these progressions?