We may not remember, but almost all of us have done push-ups in gym class since we were kids, often hearing “up…down”. For athletes or regular exercisers, strengthening the arms, chest and shoulders with push-ups, either the traditional ones or with some variations, is almost always part of the routine. For those who want to do push-ups for the first time or want to start doing them again, the task can be difficult even when there haven't been many years of inactivity. t's like being a beginner again. When you are unable to do a push-up, the main difficulty is a lack of strength (relative to body weight). The secret to succeeding is to start at the beginning, calmly, have good technique and be persistent. Attention If physical exercise is not yet part of your life, do not start doing push-ups or any other type of exercise without prior professional advice and supervision. There is a risk of doing something wrong or getting injured. How to do a “traditional” push-up Choose a flat, regular, and safe surface. Get in the position on all fours, with your knees and hands resting on the floor. Vertical arms, shoulder-width apart Hands with fingers opened and facing forward Vertical thighs, hip-width apart Ankles flexed and toes resting on the floor Raise your knees and straighten your legs. You get in a plank position, that is, with your head, pelvis, knees, and ankles forming a straight line, and your hands and toes resting on the floor. Maintain this alignment by contracting your abdominal and buttock muscles. Then, begin to slowly bend your elbows, lowering your body and legs as much as possible, but without resting them on the floor. Bending the elbows until upper arm and forearm form a 90-degree angle is enough! Begin stretching the arms again, slowly and maintaining contraction of abdominal and buttocks muscles, and return to the initial plank position. And a push-up is done. When the “traditional” push-up is difficult If you are unable to complete “traditional” push-ups, it is because the weight on your arms is too much to be able to start bending and stretching your elbows. To reduce this weight load, you can resort to one of the following options: Support your hands higher than your knees in the initial position on all fours. Raise your knees and stretch your legs into a plank position… and everything else is the same. The difference is that the angle with gravity has decreased, which means that you lift less weight. Do the push up with your knees resting on the floor. Move the knees resting on the floor a little backwards. Thighs are oblique in relation to the floor and form a straight line with the pelvis and head. Then, contract your abdominal and buttock muscles, bend the elbows, and lower your torso and thighs towards the floor… without reaching the floor. In addition to slightly reducing the angle with gravity, you are reducing the distance between the rotation (below the knees) and the point of application of your force (hands). Return to the starting position. And that's it. If you need it, the Hospital da Luz Sports Medicine Center will help you get started. Author: Hugo Vieira Pereira The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
