Push-Up Form

R

RedAngelfire

0
I am a weakling. Until recently I never exercised. Never took up sports, and never took gym class seriously. I'm trying to change that now.

While attempting a P90X session, Tony said that you need to splinch your elbows to your sides when you go down. Until he said that, I never realized I was doing push-ups wrong. I've been going down with my elbows sticking out. So when I tried to remedy that, I found that I can't move. I'm either stuck up and can't lower myself, or stuck down and can't push myself up.

I've been trying girly push-ups in the correct form and I can move easier that way, although I still can't go down all the way without feeling my arms buckle.

What exercises can I do to make it easier to attempt a push-up with the correct form?
 
You really don't need to worry about keeping your elbows to your sides. Both that form and the one you normally do are different versions of a push up, but still both correct. Sticking your elbows out to your side just involves more of your chest muscles while keeping them close to your body isolates your triceps more. (Lacking the additional chest muscles is why they are harder for you.)
 
I do a variations of pushups;

sh width (reg)- I keep my elbows towards my body
diamond- my elbows will stick out while I make a pymarid with my index and thumb
wide width (little wider than sh width)- elbows will stick out
fist pushups (reg)- I keep my elbows slighty askew
 
now that you mention it i just tried it and your right it is harder with your elbows sticking out. However, i also noticed it uised more centralized core muscels then other forms of pushups so is it good to alternate the type of pushups that you do?
 
Jrahien said:
You really don't need to worry about keeping your elbows to your sides. Both that form and the one you normally do are different versions of a push up, but still both correct. Sticking your elbows out to your side just involves more of your chest muscles while keeping them close to your body isolates your triceps more. (Lacking the additional chest muscles is why they are harder for you.)
Click to expand...

absolutely - people just try and invent 'form' so as to reinvent the wheel or look like they something you don't - what you're doing is fine!
 
RedAngelfire said:
I am a weakling. Until recently I never exercised. Never took up sports, and never took gym class seriously. I'm trying to change that now.

While attempting a P90X session, Tony said that you need to splinch your elbows to your sides when you go down. Until he said that, I never realized I was doing push-ups wrong. I've been going down with my elbows sticking out. So when I tried to remedy that, I found that I can't move. I'm either stuck up and can't lower myself, or stuck down and can't push myself up.

I've been trying girly push-ups in the correct form and I can move easier that way, although I still can't go down all the way without feeling my arms buckle.

What exercises can I do to make it easier to attempt a push-up with the correct form?
Click to expand...

Bro,
i've done a couple phases my self including the workout you're asking about. When he tells you that your elbows need to scrape your sides pretty much, he's telling you to do this when you are doing military pushups.
On regular, and elevated pushups, etc. if you notice, his elbows and his instructor's elbows dont scrape their sides.

So your form is fine man. When doing the military pushups, your hands should be like shoulder width, and that is when your elbows should scrape your sides
 
Hi :) Yeah everyone here said the right things already ;)

If you're starting now, just take it easy, do them a bit wider than shoulder width. Always keep your back straight and look forward. The ones with close grip, I call them, are harder, as to say it plain and simple, You can lift more weight with your chest than with your triceps, and that is Normal. I'm a fit dude, but like, not a bulky gym guy, so for instance, I can do 40 pushups with width slightly wider than shoulders, but by scraping my sides, 30. They are harder and they also suck a bit for the wrists in my opinion, gotta be careful not to hurt yourself :) That's why I prefer Dips for triceps. It's more comfortable and it really works the triceps well in my opinion.

Take it easy and best of Luck ;)
 
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