The Exercise You Need To Try If You Do A Lot Of Pushups
For one reason or another, there are a few exercise moves that have soared in popularity above all the others. Take situps, pushups, and squats for example. Most of us are aware of how to do these popular strength training moves. As for the front lever, the bottom-up kettlebell press, and the Turkish get-up? We can't say these more obscure ones have made it into many of our daily exercise routines.
There is nothing wrong with doing the moves you are comfortable with. Take pushups, for example. Pushups are popular for a reason, as they train multiple muscles at a time. "Compound exercises are particularly effective as they maximize your training efficiency," says Kelsey Wells, Sweat trainer and creator of the PWR Workout, to Byrdie."While most people think pushups just target their chest and triceps, when performed with correct technique, pushups also utilize the core, anterior shoulders, and shoulder-stabilizing muscles," she adds.
Pushups may be a premium move to add to your strength training regime. But if you do a lot of them, you may need to try this opposing move for a balancing effect, to prevent a hunched over posture and increasing your risk of injury, says Livestrong.
Reverse planks are the perfect opposing move for pushups
"When you do a lot of pushups, it strengthens your shoulders, triceps, chest, abs and quads," says Jillian Michaels, fitness expert and creator of the Jillian Michaels Fitness App, via Livestrong. "Those are basically the 'Look at me, I'm fit!' muscles that everyone wants to tone. But it's the opposing muscle groups — the glutes, hamstrings and lower and upper back — that "bring balance to your biomechanics," she says. Anderson goes on to recommend introducing reverse planks into the strength training routine for people who do a lot of pushups. "The reverse plank is an important exercise for at-home workouts and people who do a lot of pushups because it allows you to train the posterior muscles in the core," she explains.
To do a reverse plank, Verywell Fit recommends starting sitting on the floor and shifting the weight to your palms and feet as you lift your hips and torso upwards towards the ceiling. Hold this position for 30 seconds and activate your core muscles by bringing your belly button closer to your spine. Then, slowly let your torso and hips go back down to the ground, and repeat.
Pushups are a popular move for efficient training. And Anderson may be accurate in claiming that pushups are a 'look at me, I'm fit!' move. We just hope the effective reverse plank will become just as well known, and prevent a hunched over posture as well as an unwanted injury.