At Home Workout: How to do a Pushup

A Mercy Health fitness instructor teaches you how to do a pushup in the comfort of your own home.

Pushups are one of the most efficient moves for increasing upper body strength. However, many stay away from the exercise because they don’t think they’re strong enough to complete a rep. Fortunately, there are many modifications you can take to start building strength and work your way to a full pushup.

Master your pushup at home or in the gym with these tips from Mercy Health fitness instructor, Ebony Canty.

How to do a Pushup:

• Place your hands directly beneath your shoulders and next to your body. Hollow out your armpits, so your arms hug close to your sides.
• Find a plank position, flattening out your back to find the longest version of your spine. Push your toes into the floor and your heels back.
• Begin to lower your body down. Once you reach your low point, press your palms into the floor to push your body back up.

If you’re a beginner, consider lowering only half-way down, until you build up the strength to do a full pushup. Beginners can also place their hands on stairs, and ease into the full pushup one step at a time. Another common modification is to take pushups on your knees. Just remember to use a yoga mat or extra padding, so you don’t cause knee pain.

Once you’ve nailed this strength training exercise, try adding some cardio into the mix. Try this simple cardio workout which can be done at home, and customized to your own fitness level.

If you’re interested in taking your workout to the next level, visit one of our Cincinnati-area HealthPlexes to learn more about group fitness, personal training and additional workout opportunities.

What other exercises would you like to learn to do at home? Let us know in the comments!