AS TOLD TO LAURA SILVERMAN. THIRDSPACE.LONDONHow to nail the perfect
YOUR SHOULDERS
The mistake You hunch over,
putting too much strain on
the wrong part of your shoulders.
The solution Try to tuck your
shoulder blades into your back
pockets (impossible, we know,
but that’s what it should feel like).
Pull them away from your ears
and draw them down your back.
The benefits It’ll help prevent
shoulder pain days later.YOUR HANDS
The mistake You place your
hands too wide and too far
forward – this puts pressure
on your shoulders.
The solution Lie flat on the
floor on your front and place
your thumbs in line with your
nipples. Move your hands
away from you until they’re
just beneath your shoulders.
From here, rotate your elbows
out at 45° angles, so you
don’t put too much pressure
on your shoulders. Now rise
up into your starting press-up
position, pushing through your
palms, and grip the floor with
your fingertips.
The benefits Stronger chest
muscles, less chance of injury.YOUR STRENGTH
The mistake You do too many
reps to increase the burn.
The solution Do fewer reps,
but add a resistance band
across the back of your
shoulders, with an end placed
under each palm. This
increases the force on your
muscles as you push up.
The benefitsToo many reps
of a regular press-up will
decrease the effectiveness
of the move, and increase
the chance of straining your
muscles. This adds variety.YOUR POSITION
The mistake You do half
press-ups – with your knees
on the floor – in the (desperate)
hope that it will be easier.
The solution Half press-ups do
activate some muscles, but they
use different levers (the way
your muscles and bones move
together). Instead, try full
press-ups, but put your hands
on a step or box. The incline
will make the move less intense
until you’re ready to progress.
The benefits You’ll strengthen the
same muscles and levers used in
full press-ups, getting you ready
for when you want to up the ante.YOUR ALIGNMENT
The mistake You “snake up”- your chest leads, and
your hips follow behind.
The solution Squeeze your
glutes (your bum) and core
during the move. This stabilises
your hips and transfers tension
to keep your body in a line.
The benefits The
smoother movement
builds strength
and reduces
the risk of
lower-back
pain.
Think you’ve mastered this exercise classic? Think again. Josh Silverman
of Third Space gyms explains how to lift your press-up game to the next level...
42 ·^ COSMOPOLITAN