Arms & pushups

bidingmytime
bidingmytime Posts: 129 Member
edited February 2020 in Fitness and Exercise
So I have one of those “perfect push-up” devices and I feel that I should start using it now if I want to see some results this summer.

I was wondering, can you do just pushups in order to nicely firm and tone your arms? Or do you need to do other exercises in order to target specific muscles that are not used during pushups, in order to cover al your bases?

Please note that I’m not trying to bulk up. Just trying to tone my bingo wings and decrease the fat around my upper arms.

Thanks.

Replies

  • aimeetu
    aimeetu Posts: 139 Member
    Push ups are a great way to get toned arms as they do target a lot of the muscles in your arms and chest. I got a lot of tone doing a workout series that focused on a LOT of pushups.
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    Done properly, push ups are a full body exercise. Your core and glutes should be tight throughout. I'm not familiar with the device you mention. I would say that if you want to target bingo wings then you need to be keeping your elbows fairly close to your body to get the triceps.
  • TheMrWobbly
    TheMrWobbly Posts: 2,541 Member
    Add in some tricep curls, you can use cans of food as weights to begin with :smile:
  • bidingmytime
    bidingmytime Posts: 129 Member
    aimeetu wrote: »
    Push ups are a great way to get toned arms as they do target a lot of the muscles in your arms and chest. I got a lot of tone doing a workout series that focused on a LOT of pushups.

    Awesome! That's good to know. Lots of pushups it is for me, then!
    SnifterPug wrote: »
    Done properly, push ups are a full body exercise. Your core and glutes should be tight throughout. I'm not familiar with the device you mention. I would say that if you want to target bingo wings then you need to be keeping your elbows fairly close to your body to get the triceps.

    Thank you for the tips. I did not know it could be a full body workout and also work the glutes! This is the device I am going to attempt to use, as to take pressure off of my wrists:

    push-up-pro.jpg

    This isn't the best model on the market from the reviews I'm seeing, but I got it for like $1 at a yard sale or something, so it's worth a try I suppose.
    Add in some tricep curls, you can use cans of food as weights to begin with :smile:

    Yes, definitely need to do them, thanks! Do pushups target the triceps at all, or just a tiny bit?
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Push-ups work a lot of muscles, I agree, but not all of them. It doesn't do much for your biceps, for example.

    I combine crunches and push-ups with a number of elastic band exercises to hit just about every muscle in my upper body.
  • bidingmytime
    bidingmytime Posts: 129 Member
    Push-ups work a lot of muscles, I agree, but not all of them. It doesn't do much for your biceps, for example.

    I combine crunches and push-ups with a number of elastic band exercises to hit just about every muscle in my upper body.

    Awesome! Your avatar shows your hard work! Thanks for the tips!
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    FWIW, doing a lot of pushups (and pullups) is a sign of strength but they are also very stressful to your elbows.

    I use to be able to do a lot of them but,
    despite a medical procedure to attempt to "fix" my right elbow to overcome the deteriorating effects of age and injury, I can no longer do either w/o precipitating an acute pain that can only be relieve by cortisone shots and rest.

    Just something to consider if you decide to make pushups (or pullups) a major part of your fitness program.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Just trying to tone my bingo wings and decrease the fat around my upper arms.

    Sorry, that won't give the results you want. We can't choose where we lose fat (or "tone" the fat), it comes off from genetically-predetermined areas. For more on that, google "spot reduction myth". Your arms will shrink by eating in a calorie deficit. For strength training, it's best to follow a full-body program designed by a pro, like one from the pinned post article, "Which Lifting Program.."
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Just trying to tone my bingo wings and decrease the fat around my upper arms.

    Sorry, that won't give the results you want. We can't choose where we lose fat (or "tone" the fat), it comes off from genetically-predetermined areas. For more on that, google "spot reduction myth". Your arms will shrink by eating in a calorie deficit. For strength training, it's best to follow a full-body program designed by a pro, like one from the pinned post article, "Which Lifting Program.."

    All of this is spot on, however, building muscle will help with loose skin (maybe not to the point you were hoping for). The muscle will take up some of the space created by fat loss which, as Cherimoose said, can only be accomplished by a calorie deficit.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited February 2020
    Also, FWIW, drips or tricep dumbbell extensions or kickbacks would be better to work on just toning the triceps than pushups which do a lot more than that.
  • bidingmytime
    bidingmytime Posts: 129 Member
    edited February 2020
    Okay, gotcha, everyone! Thanks for the information. I’ll go look at what the pros suggest and try to find a reasonable program that I will be able to do for the long haul.

    Thanks!
  • MichelleMcKeeRN
    MichelleMcKeeRN Posts: 450 Member
    I know this posting is from a long time ago... dumbbell weights with the hexagonal ends are perfect for keeping this wrist position.