Do Pushups Make You Stronger?
The pushup is among the most versatile of strength training exercises, according to Kyle Brown of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. It’s a compound bodyweight exercise, meaning it involves movement around numerous joints and requires that your muscles overcome the resistance of your own body weight. The stress of your body weight overloads your muscles and stimulates an increase in strength. According to fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne, pushups are effective at developing both upper body strength and endurance. Because of its effectiveness, the pushup is used in workouts for both elite athletes and general fitness enthusiasts.
The primary muscles involved in the pushup are the pectorals, or chest muscles; the deltoids, which are the shoulders; and the triceps. Also contributing to the exercise are the rhomboids and rotator cuff, which stabilize the shoulder, and the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, gluteus maximus and quadriceps, which contract isometrically to prevent your torso from collapsing to the floor.
To perform the pushup, lie prone and place your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders with fingers pointed straight ahead. Rise up onto your hands and toes, creating a straight line through your torso and thighs. Contract your abdominals to prevent your bottom from sticking up or sagging toward the floor. Bend your elbows and allow them to flare out to the side so that you lower your body down to the floor. Once your elbows get just beyond 90 degrees, extend them to return to starting position. Pushups can also be completed with hands in a more narrow position, which increases the amount of work that the shoulders and triceps must provide.
Strength is the amount of force that a muscle or muscle group can produce. According to John M. Cissick of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, strength training exercises, including the pushup, are effective at developing strength because they overload muscles, focusing them to overcome a greater amount of resistance than normal. This overloading damages muscle tissue and stimulates the muscles and neuromuscular system to then adapt so they are better able to handle that stress. The training volume must be enough to overload a muscle.
The American Council on Exercise recommends that beginners perform one set of eight to 12 repetitions, or until reaching muscular fatigue, to overload a muscle and thus build strength. The number of repetitions you should perform depends on your muscular strength and endurance. If you complete 12 repetitions and do not feel fatigued, do more repetitions. As you become more comfortable, increase the number of pushup sets in your workout to see continued increases in strength. You should reach muscular fatigue at the end of each set. Consistency is essential for developing strength. Pushup training should be done two or three days a week, with a day of rest between each session.
Even if you’re unable to do traditional pushups, you can incorporate pushups into your training regimen. Modified pushups are performed by placing your knees on the floor. This decreases the amount of resistance your muscles must overcome. You should still create a straight line throughout your thighs and torso. If you’re looking to increase the difficulty of the pushup exercise, try completing them with one foot held slightly off the floor.
- American Council on Exercise: Pushups
- National Strength and Conditioning Association Perform Journal: The Push-Up: Kyle Brown
- American Council on Exercise: Strength Training 101
- National Strength and Conditioning Perform Journal: Basics Principles of Strength Training; John M. Cissik
- The New York Times: An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up
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