How to Start with Your Daily Push-Up Routine

 If you are new to exercising and are contemplating including push-ups in your daily exercise routine, then here are a few key points to keep in consideration:

Start small – No matter if it’s two, three or five; always start small and give your body enough time to recover and repair muscle soreness.

Advance only when it’s a routine – Unless it’s a part of your daily routine, do not add more reps or sets. Keep the increase gradual and spread it over a few days.

Set a daily push up goal – To reap the benefits of push up everyday, set a daily push-up goal, Make sure you reach that level every day.

Do it with a partner – To make push-ups a habit, consider doing it with a friend or gym partner. This will keep your push-up routine challenging.

Add interesting variations – Following the same push-up routine, every day can be monotonous. Try adding different push-up variations.

Push Up Levels and Variations

From basic push up to a range of variations, a push-up workout routine graduates from beginner-level to advanced level. Here’s how to start:

1. Beginner Level Push Ups

Before you get down to do the traditional push-up, here are a few variations to try. These will help you build the necessary strength:

Wall Push Up – Unlike the regular push-up, this is a vertical version of the push-up. To perform this, stand at an arm’s length distance from a wall. Raise your arms to chest level and place the palms on the wall slightly wider than shoulder-width. Engaging your core, bend the elbows and bring the torso close to the wall. Reverse the movement and get back to the starting position.

Knee Push Up – This is a horizontal push-up but with less resistance. To perform, get down on your knees and place your palms forward on the mat, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep the knees and the crown of your head in one straight line. Bend your elbows to lower the chest towards the floor. Slowly push back, upwards.

2. Intermediate-Level Push-Ups

After getting into good form with the beginner-level push-up variations, try more challenging variations. These are:

Regular push-up – This is the traditional form that can be performed on any flat surface. To do a regular push-up, get in the plank position with the palms lying flat on the ground. Place them slightly outside shoulder-width. Place your feet hip-width apart. Engaging your core, slowly bend your elbows to lower your chest, hips, and head towards the ground. Get back to the starting position once the chest touches the floor.

Decline Push Up – These are primarily shoulder push-ups as they add more resistance. To perform a decline push-up, place the feet on an elevated surface, higher than the hip level. For instance, use a chair or a bench and place your hands on the floor. Get down to let your chest touch the floor. Complete as many repetitions while keeping the torso steady.

BOSU Push Up – This variation requires a BOSU balance ball. Keep your hands on the edges of the BOSU balance ball and get down to complete your push-ups. The instability makes the push-ups challenging as it requires increased effort to keep your core and shoulders engaged.

3. Advanced-Level Push Ups

Once you get into an absolute pro framework, here’s what you can try to add weight and intensity to your workout routine.

Plyo Push-Up – Add intensity to your push up workout by adding a clap in the middle of the variation. To perform a Plyo push-up, start with a regular push-up. As you get down to reach the lowest position, lift your hands off the floor and clap once. Immediately get your palms back on the floor to balance yourself. Repeat repetitions and sets.

Dumbbell Push-Up To Row – You’ll need two dumbbells to perform this variation. To start, get down in the regular push-up position. Place two dumbbells on the floor under your chest. Complete push-up repetition and a dumbbell row in synchronisation.

One-Arm Push Up – The one-arm push-up is the ultimate level of difficulty when it comes to doing push ups. As the name suggests, this variation requires you to perform a push-up by balancing yourself on one arm. To perform, get into a regular push-up stance. Just before getting down, lift one arm and place it behind your back. Perform the subsequent movements with one arm. Complete one set. Change sides for the second set.

Push Up Precautions to Keep in Mind

First and foremost if you are doing push ups daily is to make sure you are practising them correctly. If not done correctly, it can lead to strain or fatigue during the workout. Here are a few things to keep in consideration:

Wrist Pressure – Make sure your palms are comfortably placed to avoid any kind of pressure on the wrist.

Shoulder Injury – Doing push ups if you are suffering from a shoulder injury can aggravate the problem. Stop immediately.

Spine Injury – A wrong push-up stance can lead to spine injury. Make sure your body is completely aligned during each push-up.

Unreasonable Goal – Set a reasonable target for the number of push-ups you want to do per day. Start with a smaller number and graduate gradually. Do not overdo it.

Conclusion

The benefits of push ups everyday go beyond improving physical health. Daily push-up routine not just changes our outlook towards fitness and health, but also motivates us to get better each day. It is one of the few compound exercises that work on multiple large and small muscles simultaneously. It is a perfect exercise for a well-toned upper body.

Daily push ups will also build confidence, add to productivity levels, and aspire you to strive for higher and more stringent goals. But before adding push-ups to your daily routine, make sure you are doing it correctly and be aware of the safety concerns. Remember to be consistent and regular. But in case of pain, stretch or muscle fatigue, stop immediately and consult a doctor.