Push ups for your abs? Yep…
Don’t waste another rep on crunches.
And please don’t even think about using that core machine or the ab roller at the gym.
I don’t want you hurting your back. And that kind of ab exercise — heavy on spinal flexion — is risky if you aren’t doing it perfectly.
Yet the best reason to avoid those outdated core training options is because you have much better choices. And believe it or not, push ups is one of the best.
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When you think of push ups, you probably imagine shapely arms, a strong chest, and maybe even sculpted shoulders, and you’ll get all that…
However, it’s also one of the best dynamic core exercises imaginable… if you do it right.
To do the perfect push up, you have to actively lock down your core. And that requires ALL your ab muscles to work together. So not only will you shape your midsection, you’ll also make it more functional, improving performance and reducing your risk of injury.
For a summary of perfect push up technique, let’s take a look at this quick video:
Here are the key points to remember:
- Straight Line From Head To Heel: This locks down the core and activates your abs.
- Breath In On The Way Down and Out On The Way Up: a forceful exhalation on the way up actually activates your core even harder.
- Keep Your Elbows Pointed Back: This keeps your shoulders healthy, and also activates the lat muscles on your back which tie into your core.
Although push ups are a seemingly simple movement, I hope you’re beginning to see there’s a whole world of deeper benefits and nuance below the surface.
And believe me, we’ve barely started scratching the surface in this article. So when you’re ready, head over to this page to discover everything there is to know about push ups.
You’ll find out how to quickly double your push ups in 6 weeks, or even how to do your first ever push up.
Whatever your goal: strength, endurance, size or skill, you’ll find a solution on the next page.