Wide Push-Up

What is Wide Push-Up:

The Wide Push-Up, a variation of the traditional push-up exercise, involves placing the hands wider than shoulder-width apart during the movement. This modification shifts the focus to the chest muscles, providing an effective way to target and strengthen the pectoral muscles while also engaging the shoulders, triceps, and core for a comprehensive upper body workout.

Key Benefits:

  • Chest Development: Wide Push-Ups specifically target the chest muscles, aiding in muscle growth and definition in this area.
  • Shoulder and Tricep Engagement: This exercise also engages the shoulders and triceps, promoting overall upper body strength and tone.
  • Core Stability: Engaging the core muscles throughout the movement enhances stability and balance, supporting proper form and reducing the risk of injury.
  • Portable and Equipment-Free: Wide Push-Ups can be performed virtually anywhere, making them an ideal addition to your home workout routine or while traveling. No special equipment is required, making it accessible to all fitness levels.

Variations:

  • Standard Push-Up: Hands positioned slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, distributing the load evenly across the chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles.
  • Narrow Push-Up: This variation involves bringing the hands closer together, typically positioned directly under the shoulders or slightly narrower than shoulder-width. By narrowing the hand placement, this variation places greater emphasis on tricep engagement while still targeting the chest muscles, albeit to a slightly lesser extent than the standard push-up.
  • Staggered Push-Up: One hand is positioned slightly forward and outward while the other remains at the standard position under the shoulder or slightly back. This creates an uneven hand placement, challenging the body's stability and coordination. By introducing an asymmetrical load on the upper body, the Staggered Push-Up engages the core muscles more intensely and promotes greater balance between the left and right sides. Additionally, mastering this variation can serve as a valuable progression towards unilateral movements like one-arm push-ups, as it strengthens each arm independently. Incorporating staggered push-ups into your workout routine can enhance overall upper body strength, stability, and symmetry.

How to perform Wide Push-Ups:

  • Starting Position: Begin in a plank position with hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward or slightly outward.
  • Execution: Begin by lowering your chest towards the ground, ensuring your elbows stay close to your body throughout the movement. Maintain control as you descend, feeling the stretch in your chest and arms. Once you reach the bottom position, push through your palms and extend your arms fully to return to the starting position. Focus on engaging your chest, shoulders, and triceps as you press back up, maintaining proper form and alignment throughout the exercise.
  • Repetition: Start with a number of repetitions that challenge you while maintaining proper form. Gradually increase as your strength improves.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise.

  • Inhale: Inhale deeply at the starting position or as you descend.
  • Exhale: Either hold your breath in as you push back up to the starting position and exhale forcefully, particularly during high-intensity moments, or exhale as you push back up.
  • Grip Width: A grip wider than shoulder-width is sufficient for optimal chest engagement and development. Going excessively wide is not essential for maximizing chest activation.
  • Scapular Engagement: You can choose to maintain scapular protraction at the starting position, which activates the scapular muscles, including the serratus anterior, important for horizontal pressing movements. Alternatively, during the bottom portion of the movement, you have the option to retract your scapula, allowing for greater chest stretch and range of motion.
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    Additional Information:

    Comment:

    Not this wide as it requires a good amount of shoulder mobility, and you might injure yourself doing so. Go only as far as you can handle without any discomfort around your shoulder joint.

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Focusing only on the Concentric or Eccentric phase
    • Doing it with just a little wider than shoulder width
    • Doing it on an inclined position
    • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
    • Using external force for support - resistance bands, a partner or something
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Playing with the tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
    • Go as wide as you can as long as you don't feel any discomfort, usually around your shoulder joints
    • Doing the exercise on a declined position
    • Increasing the Range of Motion - using a pair of paralletes or yoga block
    • Adding resistance - wearing a backpack or weighted vest
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise