While the wide-grip push-up is a legitimate exercise, many of us set our hands too wide for the wrong reason — and get a less effective exercise as a result.
Photo by the US Army.
This is one of the most common push-up mistakes, according to Outside Online, and it’s a problem if it’s forcing you to shrug your shoulders, which can lead to shoulder pain over time. Here’s the fix:
When performing a standard push-up you want to align the webbing of your thumbs with your shoulders. As you lower your body, sweep your elbows to your sides. “We watch closely for any shrugging of shoulders and instruct our athletes to keep as much distance between their ears and their shoulders as possible,” explains [strength coach Adam] Scott. “You may not be able to perform as many push-ups in this alignment, but overtime you’ll be able to transfer much more strength through this motion.”
Save the wide-grip push-ups for when you’re doing them on purpose to target specific muscles (they work your pecs a little more and your triceps a little less) — and make sure you’re using proper form then, too.
You’re Doing Your Push-Ups Wrong [Outside]
Comments
3 responses to “Fix Your Hand Position For Better Push-Ups”
Common mistakes – hands too far apart and doing the ‘worm’ – pushing your chest up, then bringing up the arse.
The body should be like a plank, raising and descending as one.
For a more challenging pushup (and working on the pecs) place your hands together till they form a triangle or diamond – requires a bit more work to stay stable, but you’ll feel it in the chest.
Push up bars are also a god send for your wrists and help you get a greater range of motion 😀
This isn’t a “better” position, this is a different position.
Different positioning, hand placement and grip types will work different areas of your body.
There is only better for situation not Better overall.