Push-ups incorrectly?

theologynerd
theologynerd Posts: 264 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A few nights ago at taekwondo training, my instructor told me I was doing my push-ups wrong. I did a quick search of youtube and found the first woman who fit the example of how I do them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ji-Liftbfo

My instructor says that my elbows need to be in by my rib cage. I used to only be able to do about 3 modified push-ups, and now I can do 100 a day and have started on "regular" push-ups. I was pretty damn proud of my progress until now. If I try to do push-ups with my elbows by my ribs, I can hardly even do the modified ones. My instructor says it's better for my shoulders. I've never heard that before and just wondered if anyone else had?

Replies

  • KittyViolet
    KittyViolet Posts: 220 Member
    To be honest, I thought the elbows-to-ribs was a modified push-up to work your triceps... That's how I've been using them. :< My regular push-up is elbows out, so to speak.
  • mdcoug
    mdcoug Posts: 397 Member
    I haven't heard that before, but I have heard those kind (the kind your instructor is referring to) called "tricep pushups." They just work different muscles. My triceps are very weak, so I find them challenging too. FWIW, most of my workout DVDs show the instructors doing it with their arms out like the woman you posted, if they're talking about normal pushups.
  • bdburch
    bdburch Posts: 127
    That's the way I do them. Yesterday in a class, the instructor had us do it both ways. She said the hands by the rib cage was supposed to help triceps.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    When in doubt, ExRx:
    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BWPushup.html
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    Elbows-in pushups are called chaturanga pushups. They are crazy hard! Traditional pushups are what you do, elbows-out.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    In Yoga Chaturanga dandasana (Plank to Low Plank) the elbow joints are protected by brushing the ribs with the elbows to keep elbows and shoulders correctly aligned.

    On that basis, your instructor is right.
  • theologynerd
    theologynerd Posts: 264 Member
    Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.
  • RandiLandCHANGED
    RandiLandCHANGED Posts: 630 Member
    In Yoga Chaturanga dandasana (Plank to Low Plank) the elbow joints are protected by brushing the ribs with the elbows to keep elbows and shoulders correctly aligned.

    On that basis, your instructor is right.

    Yes. Doing them this way for quite a while made it very difficult for me to transition to regular. I like Chaturanga ones better anyways :)
  • riveradee
    riveradee Posts: 40 Member
    i agree..defiantly sounds like triceps push ups to me!
    hey would be great to do both its so awesome that you do 100!! i am up to 20 :-) and increase by 5 every week..started at 10
  • pobalita
    pobalita Posts: 741 Member
    In Yoga Chaturanga dandasana (Plank to Low Plank) the elbow joints are protected by brushing the ribs with the elbows to keep elbows and shoulders correctly aligned.

    On that basis, your instructor is right.

    Yep. I was just a yoga conference two weeks ago and in an arm balance clinic the instructor said the same thing. It protects the shoulder joints from wear. I agree that it is way harder though. I can do a couple of chaturangas but 10 or more in a row, no.
  • Sycoholic
    Sycoholic Posts: 282 Member
    The wider you go the more you're using your shoulder muscles. The narrower you go the more you're engaging your triceps. If you want to really burn your triceps do some diamond pushups. Take both your hands on the floor in front of you, put them together so your thumbs are touching each other as well as your index fingers. That makes the shape of a diamond. You can also elevate your feet to put more weight on your arms.(Just some tips and variations to help you get where you want.)

    When I train I start wide and work closer to my body as I tire. I also do my pt test this way. I'm tall and thus have long arms. For me to do them close to my body takes more time and I'm literally pushing my body up higher. When speed is of the essence (as we only have 2 minutes to do as many as possible) I start wide.

    Doing both wide and narrow will help build all the muscles involved.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I used to get shoulder pain from doing push-ups as seen in the video above. A trainer at the time told me to switch my form more towards the form you are describing. I never went to having elbows touching the ribs but I did make it close to a 45 degree angle - which is what I've seen most recommended. It was a lot harder (I went from being able to do 15-20 of the ones in the video to 5-8). But my shoulder pain is virtually non-existent now (only resurfaces after certain drills in martial arts).
  • ejwme
    ejwme Posts: 318
    Hmm...

    I wouldn't call it "wrong". I'd call it "different from what she wants you to do."

    Given that elbows out is what a lot of people who don't have or develop chronic shoulder pain or damage do, I find it difficult to believe that it is "wrong". There are some exercises that you can actually do "wrong" and will quickly hurt yourself (weighted squats, hurdle stretches, to name two). But this one, no disrespect to the yoga crowd, I just wouldn't call "wrong".

    Pushups in general, just by playing with your hand position and orientation, can work a lot of different muscles in a lot of different ways, I play with it but usually work on what is harder rather than easier. As usual, ease into any change, listen to what your body tells you, and respect any time your body tells you to back off or stop.
  • 2April
    2April Posts: 285 Member
    Elbows in are sometimes called military push-ups.

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