Weight loss will occur faster only if you perform intense physical exercise. Experts say that cardio exercises will be effective - the process of burning fat occurs not only during exercise, but also within 24 hours after it. Most often, push-ups are used for this purpose - they can be performed both in the gym and at home.
The benefits and harms of push-ups
This exercise is included in basic training for both amateurs and professionals. It is also considered mandatory for completing the school physical training program. And even doctors recommend doing it, because it works:
- achieve body relief;
- actively reduce weight;
- prevent the degeneration of muscle mass into fat;
- speed up metabolic processes;
- improve the functionality of the respiratory system;
- increase the body's endurance.
Representatives of the fair half of humanity are sure that push-ups are a truly masculine form of physical activity. It is believed that they contribute to the formation of an overly muscular figure according to the male principle, but this is not entirely true - for this you will need to train for a long time and use weights (dumbbells).
If push-ups are performed correctly and regularly, they cannot harm the body. But there are a number of factors that are contraindications to such training:
- inflammatory processes in small and large joints;
- persistently elevated blood pressure or a tendency to sudden hypertension;
- pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
And one more nuance: if a person is too overweight, then it will be extremely difficult for him to perform the exercise. But this does not mean at all that it becomes harmful - you just need to consult a nutritionist and start training with a lighter version.
We recommend reading about CrossFit for weight loss. From the article you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of CrossFit, training program, nutrition before and after CrossFit. And here is more information about strength exercises at home.
Benefit
Have you ever wondered why push-ups are so common? This basic exercise, familiar to us from school, is the main one even in the training of professional athletes and military personnel, since it brings enormous benefits to the body. By the way, doctors also recommend doing push-ups because it helps:
- Lose weight.
- Achieve body definition.
- Tighten the skin.
- Prevent the transformation of muscle tissue into fat.
- Build endurance.
- Improve metabolism.
- Develop the respiratory system.
- Discipline yourself.
Some girls: don’t think that this exercise was invented exclusively for men, and if you do it, you will lose your femininity. To increase the volume of your biceps and get a wide, pumped-up back, you need to, at a minimum, train with weights, so regular push-ups will never turn you into a “man in a skirt.”
Types and technique of execution
Before including an exercise in a complex of exercises for weight loss, you need to learn how to perform it correctly. And to do this, it is enough to follow the following rules:
- starting position - legs together or at a distance of 10 - 15 cm from each other, hands stand shoulder-width apart;
- the body should look like a straight string;
- the elbows are as close to the body as possible - this reduces the load on the wrist and elbow joints;
- The hands are placed in such a way that the fingers “look” forward.
There are several types of push-ups, all of them are aimed at losing weight, almost all muscle groups are worked out.
From the floor
This is the main type, a classic one, which is included in every workout, regardless of what goals the athlete is pursuing. The correct technique for performing push-ups:
- The starting position is assumed, the legs need to be placed at some distance from each other. If the body weight is not too large and there is some training, then the legs can be placed together.
- Slowly bend your elbows and inhale; your chest should touch the floor. If you have difficulties with this, then you can start with “half push-ups”, that is, without touching the floor.
- On a deep exhalation, straighten your elbow joints and return to the starting position. If you already have some training, then you need to stay in the lowest possible position for 3–5 seconds.
If you need to increase the load, then the classic push-up is performed with clapping - at the moment of lifting the body up, you need to jerk your hands above the floor and clap your palms. This exercise can only be performed if the body weight is not too excessive; for very overweight people, it is fraught with sprains and even fractures in the hands.
For the belly
If you perform an internal kick during push-ups, you will be able to quickly get rid of fat deposits on your stomach and turn their muscle mass into “cubes” - they even look very attractive on girls. What do we have to do:
- after performing one classic push-up from the floor and rising to the starting position, you need to pull up your right leg and touch it with your left elbow with your knee;
- return to the starting position and perform a classic push-up;
- repeat pulling up your leg, but with your left one, and touch your right elbow with your knee.
The exercise is performed at a fairly fast pace, without stops or breaks. You need to monitor your breathing - it should be deep, even, for this you inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. A pleasant bonus with regular exercise of this type will be losing weight in your legs - reducing the volume of your hips.
For hands
To ensure that the load on push-ups falls on the upper limbs, you need to perform them in a position with your legs elevated. This can be easily done using a fitball (gymnastic ball), bench or chair.
If you place your hands shoulder-width apart, you will be able to reduce the volume of your arms and tighten the skin on your shoulders from the inside. If the upper limbs are positioned wider than the shoulders (approximately twice as wide), the load will be placed on the pectoral muscles. This way the mammary glands will tighten slightly and visually become larger.
There is also a lighter version of this training - the starting position is not on straight legs, but with emphasis on slightly bent knees (feet raised up). It is suitable for those who have just started the process of losing weight and do not have training.
Effective program
The standard push-up program for weight loss involves daily increasing the load and regular rest. Our table is designed for athletes with an average level of physical fitness, regardless of gender. This program allows you to gradually develop endurance, get used to constant stress, lose weight and increase muscle mass.
Despite all the effectiveness of the exercise in terms of weight loss, your workout should also contain other types of loads. Remember that you can start the lesson only after a general warm-up (preferably 10-15 minutes of running/fast walking) and warm-up of the shoulder and elbow joints.
Also, do not forget that results can only be achieved with regular training. But don’t get carried away too much - daily exercise will not bring the body to the desired state, but will only harm it (muscles grow when they rest).
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Program for men
Experts believe that if a man does 100 push-ups a week, then in a short period of time he will be able to lose weight and get a sculpted body. Achieving this amount is difficult, but quite possible. First, you will need to find out your maximum result - simply do push-ups the number of times that your body can withstand: until your arms and legs tremble, sweat flows and your breathing becomes “chocked.” And then 2 different training programs are used:
- Classes are held three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Every day you need to perform 4 approaches with a break of no more than 10 minutes, during each you need to perform your maximum. With each approach, the number of push-ups can decrease, but you need to achieve sustainable results.
- On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday you need to set an alarm clock for 5 times with a break of 2 hours. As soon as the bell rings, you need to “fall and do push-ups” as many times as possible. To enhance the effect, you can perform 2 approaches with a break of 10 minutes for each signal.
This is the basis of training by which:
- the body will become more resilient;
- the maximum result of push-ups will increase;
- the muscles of the body will constantly work, even while at rest;
- metabolic processes will accelerate.
For information on different push-up options for training at home, watch this video:
How to train correctly
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To ensure that the exercise brings maximum anti-cellulite effect and pleasure, listen to the advice of fitness instructors:
- Start with a warm-up, warming up your muscles for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove all jewelry from your hands and wrists. Rings and bracelets will get in the way and can even damage your skin.
- Breathe correctly: when lowering, inhale through your nose, while rising, exhale through your mouth. Try not to hold your breath.
- During push-ups, your back should remain straight. The body is elongated in one line. The buttocks do not move upward.
- It is easier to do push-ups with your legs spread wide apart. If you are a beginner, place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, moving them from activity to activity. Keeping your legs together increases the load on the muscles of your shoulders and arms.
- You need to increase the number of repetitions gradually, without jumping from 5 times to 15 at once. Approaches are very important! Consistency gives the best results. Depending on the degree of your training, independently calculate the number of approaches and lifts. Are you sure you can do 40 push-ups in one sitting? Great, but let's avoid heroism. By doing 2 sets of 20 times, you will achieve greater results and get rid of cellulite faster.
- As with any physical activity, regularity is important with push-ups. If you relax and cancel the workout, the effect will begin to decrease.
- Exercise at any convenient time, excluding an hour and a half before bedtime. It’s even better to stretch on the floor every time you have a free 5 minutes.
You won’t achieve much weight loss with push-ups, but it’s easy to improve the shape of your breasts, strengthen your muscles, develop beautiful posture, improve your well-being, restore elasticity to your skin and reduce the visibility of cellulite on your arms and stomach . Add push-ups to your list of exercises, eat regularly and properly, and you will always look charming!
Common Mistakes
Push-ups are often performed incorrectly, which leads not only to a lack of results, but also to injury to the musculoskeletal system. The most common mistakes are:
- The pace of doing push-ups is too fast. This does not enhance the effect and does not speed up the weight loss process, but it increases the “harmful” load and makes daily training impossible - the body will be too tired.
- The angle of flexion of the elbow joint is too small or it is “carried out” to the sides. The optimal position is when lowering the body down, a right angle is formed at the elbow joint. It is in this case that the back muscles will not be subject to excessive stress, which will only cause harm.
- When lifting the body to its original position, it swings. This is dangerous due to spinal injury, so it is better to switch to an easier training option.
We recommend reading about exercises for losing weight on your arms. From the article you will learn about how to lose weight in your arms and shoulders, but not pump them up, exercises with and without dumbbells for practicing at home. And here is more information about the burpee exercise for weight loss.
Push-ups are the most effective cardio workout that speeds up the process of losing weight and creating a beautiful, toned figure. During the exercises, all muscle groups work, the skin is strengthened and tightened. But this is only possible if the load is received correctly.
What muscles work?
During push-ups, different muscle groups work. Therefore, a set of push-ups in various variations is used as a warm-up in various sports. Not only as an auxiliary element, but also as a main exercise, push-ups are suitable for building and pumping up muscles.
Here are the main muscle groups that work during push-ups:
- Chest muscles. Their activation occurs during the movement of the shoulder joints and bones. To pump them up as effectively as possible during push-ups, you need to regularly do push-ups with a wide grip.
- Triceps. They can be pumped up by performing push-ups with a narrow grip. The triceps muscles work, the arms straighten.
- Biceps muscles. The biceps begin to actively work during various types of push-ups, which allows you to quickly and effectively increase their volume.
- Shoulder. If you regularly perform this type of gymnastics in a position from the floor, the results will not be long in coming. The deltoid muscles will increase in mass and acquire a beautiful, sculpted appearance.
- Serrated. The lateral part of the chest is perfectly developed and worked out when doing push-ups. There is no other, more effective exercise for this group.
- Elbows. They continue the triceps muscles, and during push-ups there is a slight extension and flexion of the forearms. When performing this movement, you can quickly and effectively pump up this part of the body.
Push-ups are a unique exercise that can quickly improve the physical shape of a person who has ignored training for a long time. With just a few sessions in the gym or at home, you can transform your appearance, making your body contour more expressive and toned.
Useful video
Watch this video about mistakes when doing push-ups:
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Take a standard starting position. Do push-ups using proper technique. Returning to IP, touch your left knee to your right elbow. Repeat the push-up, bringing your right knee to your left elbow.
Skip to content Home. For weight loss. Can you lose weight with push-ups? Contents: About the relationship between nutrition and physical activity. Is it possible to lose weight by doing push-ups?
How many push-ups do you need to do to lose weight? Push-ups for losing weight on arms and belly How to create a weight loss program with push-ups? Therefore, to lose weight you need: proper nutrition; spend more energy than you consume. Nutrition and physical activity are interconnected. Is it possible to lose weight by doing push-ups?
Contraindications
Despite the benefits of this exercise, it has a number of contraindications. These include:
- injuries, curvature and other problems with the spinal column;
- overweight;
- injuries and inflammation of the shoulder or elbow joint or wrist.
Overweight people need to start losing weight with light push-ups, because when working with your own weight, there is a strong load on the bones and joints. In other cases, the exercise will not cause harm if you follow the technique of performing it, take into account the recommendations of specialists and contraindications, and warm up the muscles, joints and ligaments before training.