How far can push-ups actually get you?

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THE 100-push-up challenge — in which you complete 100 push-ups a day, broken down however you choose — has been rising in popularity for over a decade now, but lockdown really pushed it forward. By late March, all gyms were closed and the few remaining dumbbells on earth had been auctioned off to whichever billionaire could afford them. We had no other choice. Bereft bodybuilders ventured into parks to bench-press actual benches; the rest of us settled for home bodyweight exercises.

Now that we’re well out of lockdown and have slipped back into life, should push ups still be a priority? The relevant question seems to be: how far can push-ups get you, anyway? Should I persist with my routine and accept that changes will be slow and subtle, or am I potentially putting my body under strain by only training one muscle group? I decided to talk to Zack George, CrossFit athlete & the one of the world’s fittest man, to get the lowdown.

How far can push-ups alone get you?

“Push-ups are a great exercise movement to help improve upper body pushing strength. They can help to build muscle mass, strength and endurance, dependant on how you vary volume, sets and reps. If your goal is maximal strength then you may need to think about other upper body pushing exercises, as you are limited with a push-up by your own body weight. If your goal is to improve body composition, then you will need to focus on your diet and nutrition in combination.

“If your max set of push-ups is below ten, focus on trying to build volume. You can then increase the number of total push-ups gradually or push yourself to complete them in a shorter period of time. If you already have over ten push-ups your body will be able to handle more volume – try hitting a max set of push-ups and then do 70% of that number every 45 seconds for 6 rounds. You can think of these workouts as an equation: reducing rest or increasing the percentage for the reps will give a different answer (more intensity) and give a greater training effect.”

What muscles are you activating, and how can you target more?

“The primary muscle groups worked in a regular push-up are the pectoral muscles (chest), triceps and your whole shoulder girdle. That said, a proper push-up should recruit activation from every muscle in your torso as you create tension to brace yourself. Think of your body as a bridge: as it raises off the floor it needs an even amount of force acting on both sides of your torso’s muscle to keep it nice and straight.

“Different push-up variations can place emphasis on different areas of the upper body. The wider your hands the greater the strain on your chest and the closer your hands, the more strain on your triceps. Whichever variation you choose always think about trying to pin your elbows towards your body (think an arrow instead of a T), because flaring your elbows out puts your shoulder in external rotation which is mechanically disadvantaged and can lead to overuse injuries.”

What are the downfalls of only training one muscle group?

“Push-ups are a great tool but only train one aspect of movement – the upper body push –which means lots of other muscles aren’t being recruited and trained. Over time this can cause muscular imbalances, which can increase the risk of injury and poor posture. For example, only training the chest can cause the muscle to become very tight and over-trained, while neglecting the back muscles leaves them weak and under-trained, which can cause the shoulders to round and the head and neck to be pulled forward. It’s a good idea to think of training complimentary movements; for every push, try to do a pull.

“A great pairing for a push-up is to do a horizontal row. Find a railing that you can lie under on your back with your feet on the floor, hold the railing and pull your chest to touch the top (it should look like a push in reverse!). This will help to keep the muscles on the back of your body in balance with those on front. If you mirror the sets and reps you do for a push up you are set up for success.”

What are the most common mistakes people make?

“Probably the most common mistake is not keeping your core tight throughout the whole rep. If you’re not keeping your core engaged you will start to arch your back as you perform the push-up, which could potentially lead to lower back pain and injury.

“You’ll hear coaches and PTs say ‘keep your core tight’. I like to be really clear in what we mean by this, as ‘core tight’ can mean loads of different things. If you get into the push up position (hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart with your body weight split evenly between your hands and feet, feet together), I want you to squeeze your bum and think about trying to ‘tuck’ your pelvis up towards your chest. Think about trying to close the gap between your bottom rib and your pelvis whilst keeping your back neutral. This is an active movement and you need to keep that squeeze throughout. Bum squeezed, pelvis tucked.

“We have a principle in CrossFit – ‘Virtuosity’ – which means doing the common uncommonly well. For us this means holding yourself to a high moral standard throughout all movement. If you think your form is slipping it probably is. Strip it back to the basics and double down on the fundamental. It’s never worth sacrificing movement quality for intensity. So if needs be, start performing push-ups on your knees with perfect form and a tight core then progress onto full push-ups as you gain the strength and stability to do so.”

How can someone push through a plateau?

• Volume: the more you do the greater the effect. A workout with 30 push-ups will have less of an effect than a workout with 50. Think of ways you handle more volume by playing with your sets and reps.
• Movement type: try varying up with a set of wide hands, into a set of close hands into a set on your knees to keep you moving whilst gradually decreasing the difficulty of the movement.
• Intensity: if you can do more work in less time, you’ll receive a great training effect. Pairing movements with complimentary ones that don’t fatigue each other are super powerful for dialling up the intensity of your workouts. You can also try adding weight to your push-ups. Ask someone to place a bumper or fractional plate on your back on the shoulder blades.

This article originally appeared on Esquire US.