Pushing exercises are the foundation for many calisthenics movements. This blog post introduces the two most important pushing exercises, specifically the push-up and the dip, shows how to do them correctly, and what to keep in mind while performing them. Pushing exercises are great for your chest, triceps, front and side delts, and forearms.
Push-ups
The first classic pushing exercise in calisthenics is the push-up. For a push-up, you lie on the floor, stomach down. Then you place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor and push your body up until your arms are fully extended. Afterward, you lower your body back down in a controlled manner and begin the next push-up.
Please keep the following points in mind for proper push-up form.
How to Do Push-ups
Keep your body straight and tense throughout the entire movement. Make sure your butt, legs, upper body, and head form a straight line. Avoid arching your back or sticking your butt too high in the air. Always use the full range of motion of your arms. Bring your chest almost to the floor and aim for a spot between your hands with each push-up. Perform the entire movement slowly and with control. The distance between your hands should be about shoulder-width apart or whatever feels comfortable.
Varying the Intensity of Push-ups
You can vary the intensity of the push-up in the following ways:
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Choose the distance between your hands so that the training stimulus matches your fitness level or your exercise goal. Keep in mind: The wider the grip, the harder the push-up. Conversely, the narrower the grip, the easier the push-up.
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Do the push-up on a bench or a small elevation, so your body is at an incline. In this variation, the stimulus is less than in the standard position.
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Do the push-up on your knees, so your legs are bent and not straight. This also reduces the intensity of the push-up compared to the standard position.
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Do the push-up with a suspension trainer. To do this, adjust the suspension trainer handles to about 12 - 20 inches (30 - 50 cm) above the floor, grab the handles, straighten your body, and perform the push-up as usual.
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Do the push-up with only one arm. Note: A one-arm push-up is significantly harder than a two-arm push-up. The execution is generally the same as a normal push-up. To start, it's helpful to place your free arm on your back during the movement.
Helpful Tips
When using push-up bars or suspension trainers, you can lower your chest below the level of your hands. This provides an extra stretch to the muscles and makes the exercise much more effective. Beginners often have trouble with the form, for example, by not keeping a straight line with their body and legs. You can easily fix this by asking someone to check your form.
Dips
The dip is the second classic pushing exercise in calisthenics. Dips are often done on two shoulder-width parallel bars, also known as dip bars. If possible, you can also do them on traditional parallel bars, which you might remember from gym class.
You can also do dips on a straight bar. In this type of dip, your body is in front of the bar, similar to a muscle-up. An alternative is the Korean dip. Here, the bar is behind your body, and the dips are significantly harder to perform.
If you don't have equipment for dips, you can also do them on a bench or any other surface that allows you to grip with your hands shoulder-width apart and lower your body between your arms.
How to Do Dips
To perform a dip, support yourself with both hands on the dip bars so that both arms are fully extended. Your legs and upper body should form a straight line. Your elbows should be stable behind your body. This is the starting position. From this position, lean slightly forward, slowly bend your arms at the elbows, and lower your upper body until your elbows and shoulders are at least in a line. You can also go deeper to use the full range of motion and stimulate the muscles a bit more.
Varying the Intensity of Dips
You can vary the intensity of dips in the following ways:
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Do dips on a regular park bench. Stand with your back to the bench and support yourself with your hands shoulder-width apart on the bench. Fully extend your arms and, from this position, perform the dips as described above. Note that the distance of your feet from the bench determines the difficulty.
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Decrease or increase the distance between the dip bars. The smaller the distance, the easier the dips. Conversely, the greater the distance between the dip bars, the harder the dips will be.
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Use a fitness band, rubber band, or power band for assistance. Attach it to the dip bars so you can support yourself with your knees on it and reduce your body weight.
With dips, the range of motion also determines the intensity of the exercise. The greater the downward movement, meaning the deeper you go with your chest, the greater the muscle stimulus. As a beginner, you typically don't use the full range of motion but lower your upper body until your elbows and shoulders are at least in a line.
If dips haven't been a regular part of your workout, have someone give you feedback on your form. Thanks to modern technology, you can easily record yourself on video to assess the correctness of your form yourself.
Conclusion
Pushing exercises like the push-up or dips are the foundation for many calisthenics movements. They can be performed with great variety and at different intensities. Pushing exercises are good for the chest, triceps, front and side delts, and forearms. They are the exact opposite of pulling exercises (see also the blog post on the four most important pulling exercises) and should be a part of every calisthenics workout.
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