The Push Up - A Beginner Exercise?

We so badly want to simply the push up as a beginner exercise. The truth is, it’s complicated. It’s hard to do and requires a base level of strength. Many people are able to skate through life thinking they are a push up master, only to realize their technique, is exactly why their shoulder hurts every time they do it.

It’s demoralizing when you think you can bust out 20 push ups and then learn you can’t even get 2 with the best, most transferable technique. It would benefit you though, to get over how many you can do In one shot and instead, learn how to do 2 or 3 really good ones at a time.

Getting good at really low rep sets is the road to becoming a push up master. If you can maintain good positions: butt squeezed, shoulder blades moving, elbows pointing back, no funny neck things. That’s good. The best way to practice that is small sets, 2-5 reps, for a bunch of sets, maybe 8-12.

Instead of trying for 3x10, the most classic rep scheme around, stop yourself when you get sloppy. Become aware of what else is happening to your body. In order to develop that awareness, you need to stop thinking it’s an easy exercise for beginners.

Give the push up the credit it deserves.

Justin MIner 

@portsmouthcoach