Learn how to do push-ups the right way with these 6 expert-backed tips

Diamond, close, spiderman, sphinx, and what not–push-ups come with an amazing range of variations. And if you talk about the outcome, that’s even more exciting! But to move a step forward in the world of push-ups, you first need to nail the basic movements. Once that’s sorted, nothing can stop you from raising the bar higher and higher. 

We all know push-ups are critical when it comes to muscle building, especially when you want to strengthen your upper body – primarily the chest, shoulders, and triceps – as well as the core and back muscles! 

To a few, it might look like a walk in the park but if you speak to a fitterati, s/he might tell you that acing this simple move takes months of practice. And if you feel it wasn’t as hard for you, then in all probability, you might be doing the wrong moves!

We are here to help you learn the right way to do a push-up, because some wrong moves might have their own implications. To make it simpler, we sought an expert’s opinion. Dr Kruti Khemani, a renowned physiotherapist is here six tips on how to do a push-up, without the risk of injury. 

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1. Get your shoulders right
Get your shoulders assessed and strengthen them, before beginning a full-floor push-up. If you have any weakness in your rotator cuff muscles, then downgrade your push-up to a wall or a ledge push-up. Once you have strength in your shoulders, you can begin floor push-ups.

2. Keep your neck in line
Watch out for your neck, otherwise there’s a high chance of ending up with a sprain! Keep your neck in a neutral position, by tucking your chin backwards. This allows your neck to remain relaxed, and doesn’t tense up your shoulder and neck muscles during the push-up.

3. Lock your shoulders blade properly
Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and set along the rib cage. This technically means, you need to pull your shoulders away from your ears, and lock them in that position.

4. Your back should not be hunched
Keep your lower back in neutral, this is the position between an arched and a hunched back. You can also do this by keeping your core switched on through the set.

If you feel your core isn’t strong enough, then work on building those muscles, before you begin floor push-ups. That way you won’t injure your lower back.

Keep an idea of your risk of weight-related issues.

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5. Don’t jump on to the classic ones, instead go with the knee push-ups
If you are a beginner, start with your knees resting on the floor, arms straight and underneath your shoulders. Once you are comfortable doing this, try and move to a full blown push-up with your toes on the ground.

6. Focus on your breathing
Breathing whilst doing a push-up is critical, but often overlooked. Keep the core engaged, shoulders drawn down and locked, and breathe in when you lower down, and breathe out as you push-up.

You are now just six steps away from nailing that perfect push-up.