Push-Ups – Their history, Beneficial Effects, Types and Potential Risks

What Do You Need to Know About Push-Ups Before You Try Them?

Introduction

There is not a man on earth, nor woman for that matter, that has not been introduced to the context of push-ups before. Perhaps you have even tried to do a push-up in your life just to see what it is all about! Well, this amazing exercise has been true to its meaning and it has introduced success into any person’s exercising plan who has been motivated enough to perform this exercise regularly and properly. But the truth is that any exercise, including something as simple as push-up is, brings potential risks to your body if you are not trained properly to do this exercise. So what we what to do today, is introduce you to the context of push-ups and share basic information regarding what a push-up is, who has thought about it first, its potential beneficial effects as well as risks. If you are looking to introduce push-ups as a regular exercise into your exercise routine, then we look forward to informing you more about this great exercise!

What is a push-up?

A push-up, or also known as a press-up (especially in the UK) is a popular upper body exercise that involved the pectoral, deltoid, triceps, biceps, coracobrachialis, and the serratus anterior muscle. The push-up is considered to be a standard exercise for all people who want to develop strength in their upper body – the chest and arms. It starts by positioning your body into a push-up position, also called the front-leaning rest in which you lay down horizontally with your face down towards the floor while your back and chest are straight, arms vertically straight as you are supporting your body with the help of your palms and toes which are pressed down on the floor.

The history of push-ups

It is thought that the creator of the modern day push-up is Jerick Revilla in 1905. There are writings explaining how the Roman emperor Constantine also had been doing an exercise, very similar to today’s push-up way back during his ruling. But then we also have writings about the Hindu push-ups or also known as Dand or Namaskar in India. The Hindu push-ups go thousand years back when these exercises were used by the warriors to shape their bodies. One example is the Indian wrestler Great Gama who has been spoken never to lose a match in his life and he has taken part in over 5000 matches. He was also thought to perform 4000 Hindi push-ups and Hindu squats every day.

Which muscles are activated during a push-up?

• Triceps muscle
• Biceps muscle
• Coracobrachialis muscle
• Serratus anterior muscle
• Deltoid muscle
• Rhomboid muscles
• Trapezius muscle
• Latissiums dorsi

What are the beneficial effects of push-ups?

• Push-ups increase the strength of your upper body – By exercising large groups of muscles on your arms, abdomen, and back, the push-up is a great full body exercise that will successfully tone and improve the strength on your upper body.
• Push-ups help to improve your balance and stability – By increasing your upper body strength, the push-ups also work by improving your body’s balance and stability. This is way push-ups are commonly recommended for the elderly since this is a target group commonly related to injuries due to low balance.
• Push-ups help increase your testosterone levels – Have you been noticing any symptoms of low testosterone? Maybe you even suffer from Erectile dysfunction. If so, push-ups are the key towards your recovery. It has been confirmed that push-ups as anaerobic and resistance exercises are able to increase your low testosterone levels and help you get rid of these symptoms forever.
• Push-ups build muscle density – As you get older, your body starts to lose muscle density. This is all linked to how your body uses and burns energy to do, well anything really. One of the great beneficial effects of push-ups is their ability to improve your low muscle density!
• Push-ups help by maintaining your core strong – And by core, we mean the abdominal area. And a strong core is the key to performing your exercises with no problem at all, as well as, getting rid of any back problems. Plus, a strong core means a good body posture!
• Push-ups are an easy exercise – We are talking about an exercise for which you do not require any special equipment. Sure, you can buy some accessories like handles and stuff to help you put an extra pressure while doing this exercise, but the thing is that this is an exercise that you can do at home or at the gym. You can even do it at home while you watch TV or have a conversation with your friends.

What are the different types of push-ups that you can try?

With time, there have been different types of push-ups being developed. Some of these types concentrate on special muscle groups more than the normal type, and that is the difference between them. Plus, you can always use the Perfect Pushup to help you do your push-ups with an ease! Now let’s see which push-ups types you can try!

• Single leg push-up
• Single arm push-up
• Handstand push-up
• Hindu push-up
• Wide arm push-up
• Close arm push-up, also known as diamond push-up
• Jackknife

Are there any potential risks?

Every exercise has its own risks when it is done improperly. This is why it is very important to take the time to learn how to do a push-up properly so that you avoid any possible mistake and risk. A professional trainer might be the best choice here. Take on a training session or two with a professional trainer that can teach you all about the exercises that you need to do in order to get to the point where you want to get with your exercising plan. Here are the potential risks that an improperly done push-up brings.

• Shoulder injury
• Elbow injury
• Muscle tear
• Muscle inflammation

Conclusion

Push-ups are such a popular exercise for so long. It is hard to see a training session that goes by without the presence of push-ups, especially not if the person who is training focuses on improving their core, upper body strength, balance, and muscle density. That is right – all of those are beneficial effects that are expected from a properly done push-up with time. There are several types of push-ups that you can choose from or you can include all of them! This exercise goes way back in the Roman times and Indian culture. If you are interested to train like the Indian warrior Great Gama, then you should include a session or two of push-ups in your training routine. Not to mention the fact that push-ups themselves can be the answer to your male ejaculation problems and low testosterone. The truth is that any man and woman on the face of the earth can benefit from this easy exercise that does not require any special equipment whatsoever and can be done either at the gym or home or even your backyard! You can watch your favorite TV show and do your set of push-ups for the day. So what is your excuse then?

References

http://tonygentilcore.com/2014/02/greatest-push-article-history-ever/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/history-push-up-jeff-myers

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/male-sexual-health/symptoms-low-testosterone-levels-men.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19669787

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996289/

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-PP6105-Pushup-Original/dp/B000KDM3BG

http://athletics.wikia.com/wiki/Pushup

https://www.performanceinsiders.com/male-ejaculation.html

Author Bio:

Brian Adam

This is Brian Adam, I am a Health Writer, Researcher, and Advisor with a passion for Men’s Health and Wellness, places a strong emphasis on Diet as well, believing that the Combination of Exercise, a Healthy Diet, and a Positive Mindset is the best way to achieve one’s Full Potential. I write on most of the topics related to Healthcare, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, etc. Each and every piece of content I produce is completely researched. Love content creation basically; however, I’m excellent at it when it comes down to the health care community. Say Hi! to Brian on Twitter and Facebook.