Press up
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A press up (also push up) is a common strength training exercise performed while lying horizontal and face down, raising and lowering using the arms. In the full press up, the back and legs are straight and off the floor. Several variations are seen, besides the common push up. These include bringing the thumbs and index fingers of your hands together (a diamond pushup) as well as having your elbows point towards your knees. These two variations are intended to put greater emphasis on the tricep muscles rather than the shoulder and chest muscles. When both hands are unbalanced or on uneven surfaces, this exercise also works the body core.
Press ups are a basic exercise used in military physical training.
There are also a number of plyometric versions of the press up that can be performed. One such variant is the 'clap press up' where the aim is to explosively push the body into the air for enough time to clap the hands together, then bring them back into position to cushion the fall.
Another type of plyometric press up is the drop push. In this variation two platforms are placed either side of the trainee. The exercise begins with the hands on either platform supporting the body. The subject then drops to the ground and explosively rebounds with a push up, extending the torso and arms completely off the ground and returning the hands to the platforms.
See also
External links
- Illustrations of how to do proper push ups (http://www.ehow.com/how_3190_proper-push-.html)
- Descriptions and animated pictures of press ups and variations (http://www.netfit.co.uk/press_up%20_circuits.html)de:Liegestütz