Push-up are a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position. By raising and lowering the body using the arms, push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, with ancillary benefits to the rest of the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole.

Push ups fall under the umbrella of a compound exercise, targeting multiple muscle groups that provide you with many different health benefits of exercise.

Push ups are great for:

Building muscle, strength and endurance in your arms, chest, and core

Improving heart health and reducing cardiovascular disease risk

Lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol

Overall helping people live longer

Dropping down to the knees from the start position of a push up and / or using an elevated surface (like a wall push ups), is a great way to regress the movement by reducing the length of the lever (your body).

A few things to remember when performing this exercise include maintaining a neutral spine, not allowing your hips to sag, causing your lower back to arch excessively.

Hand placement is also important; placing hands too close together or too far apart can compromise form and put excessive strain on the wrists and shoulder muscles.

Try to avoid locking your elbows at the top of the movement to prevent joint strain and maintain a controlled pace.

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