Push Up Mistakes + A Better Exercise Than “Girl” Push Ups

If you’re following me on Instagram you might have seen my latest IGTV videos about form for squats and hip hinges. (If not be sure to go check them out @hellostrength1)

Now we’re bringing the attention to the upper body and talk about push ups.

The two biggest form issues I see with push ups are:

• Elbow position
• Hip position

I address these in the video, but the short version is for elbow position, you want to have a little space between your upper arm and your torso (about 30 degrees). Just make sure your elbow aren’t way up (90 degrees) or too close to your body (yoga/tricep push up). For hip position, you want to make sure your hip don’t dip down towards the floor. Instead, tuck your hips (by squeezing your glutes & pushing your ribcage down) and lift your hips a little higher that you originally might at the starting position.

The video also mentions an exercise called Eccentric Push Ups that, in my opinion, are way better at building push up strength.

“Girl” push ups limit the amount of core that is involved because by bringing your knees to the floor, you are decreasing your body’s length.

Eccentric push ups are basically just lowering a plank to the floor and then “cheating” your way back to the top.

Once you are able to do 8-10 of these with nice slow, control you are ready for “real” push ups.

If you are really trying to make some progress with push ups, make sure you’re doing at least a few every day!