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You may have heard them referred to as "female push-ups" or "modified push-ups." Knee push-ups, regardless of their title, frequently receive a bad rap — they're too easy, they're "cheating," and they're rough on your kneecaps. Science, on the other hand, begs to differ. Knee push-ups are a legitimate upper-body workout. They're a great way to get started with regular push-ups or other demanding arm or shoulder activities.
Learn how to refine your form and get the most out of this essential at-home move.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE KNEE PUSH-UPS?
The knee push-up often described as a modified push-up, is a physical exercise that targets the muscles in your upper body. Knee push-ups are performed by placing your hands under your shoulders, shoulder-width apart, and resting your lower body on your knees. Next, bend your elbows and drop your body closer to the floor, using your glutes and core.
Push-ups can also help to strengthen the abs and the muscles in the middle and lower back. They are excellent for improving posture and strengthening your core without using any equipment. You can begin with the more accessible form and progressively progress to the more complex levels of push-ups. Furthermore, performing them correctly by acquiring good techniques might lessen the chance of injury.
Main Perks:
For one thing, they're less complicated! Also, starting on your knees improves your form and stability before progressing to toe push-ups.
A short 2011 research of 28 athletic individuals found that knee push-ups were "an effective option" for people who can't yet accomplish a traditional push-up. It also suggested that knee push-ups may be more effective for healing from upper back or shoulder problems. According to new research, knee push-ups and standard push-ups use the same upper-body muscles: chest, shoulders, arms, and abdomen. The only real change is that you're carrying less weight.
It's similar to the difference between executing a squat with just your body weight and completing a squat with dumbbells. One of the researchers suggested that after you're comfortable doing 16 knee push-ups in succession, you should try some push-ups on your toes.
HOW TO DO KNEE PUSH-UPS CORRECTLY
Begin with 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps for knee push-ups. Sets and repetitions should be chosen based on your ability to maintain proper technique throughout.
- Bend your elbows and pull your chest toward your hands. As you lower toward the higher surface, your shoulder blades should retract.
- Bring your hips down, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Engage your core while tensing your shoulders and hips. Your ribs should be tucked, and your pelvis somewhat tucked. Throughout the action, keep your chin tucked as if you were cradling an egg beneath your chin. All repetitions should start from this position.
- Put yourself on all fours, with your knees and toes extended and in contact with the floor. Your hips should be higher than your knees. The width of your hands should be somewhat more significant than the width of your shoulders. To engage your lats, grip the ground with your hands and rotate your shoulders outward.
- Maintain your alignment by tightening your chest and straightening your elbows to begin the upward movement. As you push to the apex of the action, your shoulder blades should protract. Squeeze your chest and triceps to complete the exercise.
- Reduce your body weight until your forearms are parallel to your back. Your elbows should be 45 degrees apart from your torso, with your wrists under your elbows, at the bottom of the movement, pause.
TRICEPS-KNEE PUSH-UP VARIATION
You can tweak the knee-push to train the backs of your arms (called the triceps).
- Kneel on the ground.
- Straighten your arms in front of you.
- Tighten your abs as you lower your torso until your chest grazes the floor, and your elbows brush the sides of your ribcage.
- Straighten your arms and push your torso back up. Baby, take it slow and steady.
- Rinse and re-rinse.
HOW TO EXERCISE SAFELY AND AVOID INJURIES
Consult your doctor before commencing an exercise program if you have a past or pre-existing health issue. Proper exercise technique is critical for ensuring the safety and success of an exercise program. Still, you may need to alter each activity to achieve the best results for your specific needs. Choose a weight that permits you to maintain complete control of your body during the exercise. Pay great attention to your body when undertaking any workout, and stop immediately if you experience pain or discomfort.
Include adequate warm-ups, rest, and nutrition in your training regimen to see consistent development and build body strength. Your capacity to adequately recuperate from your workouts will ultimately determine your results. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before working out the same muscle groups again to allow adequate healing.
In Short:
- Push-ups should always be performed on a mat or carpet rather than the bare floor.
- To cushion your knees during push-ups, kneel on a folded towel or a throw pillow.
- Place your hands flat on the floor, fingers slightly spread, so that your front half can support half the weight. You should not rely only on your knees to provide support.
- Check your form frequently. To avoid knee or wrist injury, distribute your weight evenly across your torso.
THE BENEFITS OF KNEE PUSH-UPS FOR WOMEN
1. INEXPENSIVE
One of the best aspects of calisthenic exercises is their low cost. To be honest, most individuals haven't had the money for anything other than necessities since the pandemic began. Gym memberships have started to appear as a luxury rather than a necessity. Purchasing gym equipment is also not the cheapest option.
According to reports, people are in the worse shape of their life. This can be linked to the fact that gyms were closed for such a long time, and since they are only now reopening, people have been more sedentary than ever, not to mention that many are socially distancing themselves, while others simply prefer not to.
This demonstrates a greater demand for exercise now than ever before, which is where callisthenics like push-ups come in. Push-ups are suitable for any female because they do not require any equipment.
2. INCREASING IN INTENSITY
To be effective, a workout must be progressive. When we say advanced, we mean that as you get used to the movement, it should be able to push you more. It is simple to make equipment-required exercises advanced since once you get used to a specific intensity, you may raise it, and so on. Push-ups accomplish the same thing. Remember that when you do push-ups, you utilize your own body as resistance.
Push-ups assist in building strength, and the stronger you become, the heavier your body becomes, and thus the more significant the resistance. This is an excellent technique to improve an activity because you can't overestimate yourself and increase the intensity to a level you can't handle, injuring yourself. Push-ups generate a cycle in which you become stronger, your body becomes heavier, which leads to you becoming more muscular, your body becoming more affluent, and the process continues.
3. BENEFICIAL TO CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
As previously stated, push-ups work various muscles throughout the body, making the heart work a little more complicated. First, it has to give blood rich in oxygen to all of these organs, resulting in a healthy heart.
A study was also conducted to determine whether or not this is accurate. The study's goal was to look at the relationship between push-up capacity and later CVD event incidence in a group of active adult men. This was ten-year longitudinal research that ran from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2010.
It also takes time to see the findings because the complete results were not available until 2018. The study included men aged 18 and up as subjects. The study's participants were divided into five groups based on their push-up capacity and exercise tolerance.
The findings revealed that the better a person's push-up capacity, the lower their risk of developing certain cardiovascular diseases. According to the study, persons who could do more than 40 push-ups had a decreased risk of incident cardiovascular problems than people who couldn't perform more than ten push-ups (3). This demonstrates that push-ups are more than just strength training activities, as most people believe; they may also serve as cardiovascular exercises.
DO KNEE PUSH-UPS BOOST BREAST SIZE?
This is a frequently requested topic about the bodily advantages of push-ups for women. Unfortunately, NO is the answer to this question. Although push-ups will improve the size of your chest muscles, they will not enhance the size of your breasts. This is because breasts are often made up of fat tissues rather than muscles. As a result, your breast size rises solely as you acquire weight, not when you do push-ups. Likewise, knee push-ups do not increase breast size since they only engage muscle and not fat regions.
Final Verdict
As mentioned in the article, the benefits of knee push-ups for women are numerous. If you were debating whether or not to incorporate push-ups into your fitness routine, we hope this article has helped you make a decision. Before you begin doing knee push-ups, you should speak with an expert to see if they are safe for you to undertake. Maintain proper technique to avoid injury and reap the advantages of this workout.
