I figure with all the servicemen and veterans on B&B, someone can point me to the definitive guide to proper push-up form. (Sit-ups too, for that matter.)
I look forward to your replies. Thanks.
I look forward to your replies. Thanks.
Push-ups
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The way I always approached pushups was flat back, eyes up, hands a bit wider than shoulder width apart. Slowly down until elbows are at 90 degrees (or more if doing extended range pushups) and then push back up until elbows are straight (not locked though).
Try this guide if you want some good direction:
http://artofmanliness.com/2009/07/21/push-ups-exercises/
Try this guide if you want some good direction:
http://artofmanliness.com/2009/07/21/push-ups-exercises/
Rather than one perfect form repeated again and again, you'll get much more out of varied grips. I can't run 100+ in one stance all at once, but I can do 6 sets of 30 in succession w/ about a 30-second break in between and a change of hand position, and unlike with weights you can do some push-ups every day.
Get some of those push-up grips; they'll do wonders to allow more applications. Whatever position you're doing, keep your back rigid and straight and don't slouch towards the floor in your mid-section. Bring your arms down straight and crisp and try to look ahead and let your sternum get below your hands (another reason to get the grips).
Try some with your hands just below your sternum line, knuckles parallel with torso, and hands close to torso.
Try hands right above shoulders, knuckles facing out at 45-degrees.
As wide as you can stand, hands at shoulder height and knuckles parallel to legs/torso.
Get a little balance board and hold on to that with the board just below your heart.
Get some of those push-up grips; they'll do wonders to allow more applications. Whatever position you're doing, keep your back rigid and straight and don't slouch towards the floor in your mid-section. Bring your arms down straight and crisp and try to look ahead and let your sternum get below your hands (another reason to get the grips).
Try some with your hands just below your sternum line, knuckles parallel with torso, and hands close to torso.
Try hands right above shoulders, knuckles facing out at 45-degrees.
As wide as you can stand, hands at shoulder height and knuckles parallel to legs/torso.
Get a little balance board and hold on to that with the board just below your heart.
Push-ups are a great upper body exercise. If you wanna do push-up properly, watch this video. He can explain it better than I could.
http://www.youtube.com/user/scooby1961#p/c/4895846CC1452239/2/S990kHLMVFg
Key notes;
If you can't do it properly, do them on your knees.
Do them on push up bars or your knuckles. DO NOT DO THEM ON YOUR HANDS!
Do them slowly.
http://www.youtube.com/user/scooby1961#p/c/4895846CC1452239/2/S990kHLMVFg
Key notes;
If you can't do it properly, do them on your knees.
Do them on push up bars or your knuckles. DO NOT DO THEM ON YOUR HANDS!
Do them slowly.
Darn I opened this thinking some other kind of push up. Oh well.
Starting at the top of the pushup, place hands slightly wider than shoulders and shoulders slightly ahead of your hands.
Keep your chest open and relaxed, your shoulders down and rolled back a little.
Engage your hips and seat forward a bit so that your midsection doesn't sag, keep your neck neutral and reach the crown of your head forward. Your whole body should move up and down in a straight line as one piece.
Drop down and push up keeping your elbow against your sides, no side-to-side motion.Go down until your forearms are parallel to the floor, and push up until just before your elbows lock.
Repeat at necessary!
Keep your chest open and relaxed, your shoulders down and rolled back a little.
Engage your hips and seat forward a bit so that your midsection doesn't sag, keep your neck neutral and reach the crown of your head forward. Your whole body should move up and down in a straight line as one piece.
Drop down and push up keeping your elbow against your sides, no side-to-side motion.Go down until your forearms are parallel to the floor, and push up until just before your elbows lock.
Repeat at necessary!
When Chuck Norris does push-ups......he is actually pushing the earth down.
You maggoty scumbag! You will do push-ups until I get tired! You will do push-ups until it clouds up and rains sweat in my squadbay! You may not leave here as the smartest Private ever to set foot on my quarterdeck, but you will do push-ups until you are the strongest!
That's the way to do push-ups. Nowadays, I prefer these...
That's the way to do push-ups. Nowadays, I prefer these...
Leave it to Topgumby to always offer the alter-realistic view 
Note to self: Tomorrow's shave will be SCS Orange Sorbet
Note to self: Tomorrow's shave will be SCS Orange Sorbet
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- #11
Sorry to have disturbed you Mr. Topgumby.
Actually, that's about the attitude I need to take with myself these days.
Seriously, I kind of assumed that there's a document somewhere that specified what the "official" form of push-ups is for the U.S. armed forces. Was that a stupid assumption on my part? (It wouldn't be the first.)
Thanks for all the other responses.
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Well, in all seriousness the classic Army push up looks like this
Straight back, arms shoulder width apart, down until the chest almost touches the deck, back up with no swaying, chin down. The Marine Corps push ups I recall were much the same, but since they were not part of a measured Physical Fitness Test I can't recall a lot of stress put on what was legal or not. I do recall Drill Instructors telling us to look at them while we performed the push ups, so the eyes were up, unlike the illustration.
Here we see a Marine Corps push up. Note the raised eyes, and also the addition of a helpful, professional motivator to assist in the performance of the push up.
Straight back, arms shoulder width apart, down until the chest almost touches the deck, back up with no swaying, chin down. The Marine Corps push ups I recall were much the same, but since they were not part of a measured Physical Fitness Test I can't recall a lot of stress put on what was legal or not. I do recall Drill Instructors telling us to look at them while we performed the push ups, so the eyes were up, unlike the illustration.
Here we see a Marine Corps push up. Note the raised eyes, and also the addition of a helpful, professional motivator to assist in the performance of the push up.
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- #13
Thanks. For whatever reason I always thought the eyes were supposed to be raised as well; I must have learned it that way when I was younger. A number of sources recommend doing it the "Army" way, but it never feels right to me.
(It sure was nice of that motivator to help that young man!)
(It sure was nice of that motivator to help that young man!)
You maggoty scumbag! You will do push-ups until I get tired! You will do push-ups until it clouds up and rains sweat in my squadbay! You may not leave here as the smartest Private ever to set foot on my quarterdeck, but you will do push-ups until you are the strongest!
That's the way to do push-ups. Nowadays, I prefer these...
Actually, the title of the thread had me thinking a whole different push up.
More along the lines of Victoria's Secret.
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- #15
No, that thread would go in the Gentlemen's Club(house) forum.
Another good way to learn about push ups can be found here.
It kinda freaked me out when one of the options for State was Canada. Sarge said he is going to make me a special project. 50 year old Canuck on Paris Island . . . this is going to hurt.
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I guess asking Marines about push-up while sitting on my a** in front of the computer isn't quite the same thing, is it?
... don't worry ...
I prefer these...
... your B&B bretheren gots you covered.
This is a slightly unorthodox pushup, but I suspect this chick can out-do most of us guys ...
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgpRtGqmIuA[/YOUTUBE]
... and this one ...
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZydTPxFdcU&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
... well, it's mostly just
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgpRtGqmIuA[/YOUTUBE]
... and this one ...
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZydTPxFdcU&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
... well, it's mostly just
