Push Up Exercise:
Benefits of Push Ups

The benefits of the push up exercise are numerous. Assuming that you use proper push up technique, this exercise can be quite useful for both strength training and muscle building goals...

...What makes this chest exercise so special?

Is it absolutely essential to pushing or pressing power?

Not necessarily -- You can certainly become very strong without ever doing a single push up. BUT, increasing your strength and endurance on push ups will boost your numbers in the major pressing lifts, especially if you utilize it as a secondary exercise.

If you're looking to burn extra calories to become more chiseled than a Greek god statue, then you're also in luck. Can you increase strength and stamina? Check. And of course, if you're looking to build bigger chest muscles, it can contribute to that, too.

...More Benefits of Push Ups. I've already discussed how the push up is a great exercise for general fitness, and that it can be used to accelerate strength and muscle building progress if used intelligently. Now, here are are a few more benefits of interesting push up benefits.

• Full Body Workout. The push up exercise is a compound exercise, meaning it is a multi-joint exercise that works multiple muscles. It also requires that your stabilizer muscles come out and play. It improves the strength of the chest, as well as the triceps, shoulders, and abs. It even hits the back, legs and glutes, thus providing a full body workout.
• Modifications & Variations. There are several ways to modify this classic chest exercise by simply changing your body position or utilizing equipment. That means that you will always have a productive push up workout regardless of your strength and experience. Make it easier by doing band-assisted, incline or knee push up exercise modifications. Make it more difficult by elevating your feet, wearing a weighted vest, using a stability ball, among other push up variations.
• Increase Your Bench Press. Even if you you can do the barbell bench press a mega amount of weight, it doesn't mean doing push ups will be a waste of time. To the contrary, they will actually improve your bench pressing strenth. Why? Because it trains your stabilizer and core muscles muscles to greater extent since you're moving and controlling your body, with stationary hands; however, benching involves moving a weight when your body is stationary.
• Burn Calories & Fat. Let's not forget the all important cardio component of fitness that many lifters commonly dismiss. So, if you can do hundreds of push ups in a short period of time, you're likely a pretty fit dude or dudette. But just because you can bench more than anyone in your gym, don't expect to get down and knock out 100 reps worth of flawless push up technique on your first try.
• Do It Anywhere. Forget packing for the gym, buying equipment, or waiting for a turn to grab those 45 pound dumbbells. Push ups can be performed anywhere you find a safe surface! But don't worry if you're the gadget type - While you certainly don't have to use equipment to get results, there is optional equipment that you could find/make/purchase to increase stimulate your potential.

Take a look at these helpful tips on how to do push ups to boost your push up performance.

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