07/03/2026
Push ups are an awesome exercise. They are one of my favorites and one that should be prioritised.
The problem I see a lot of the time is lack of range of motion. That's the major problem if your goal is hypertrophy. The push up simply doesn't offer enough.
Also when being performed a lot of people seem to focus on pushing down. This then encourages half reps, lack of control in the shoulders and potential shoulder, wrist and elbow pain.
If you were performing say a bench press. You'd focus on lowering the bar and pushing back up.
The focus should be the same on a push up. However it very often seems to be the opposite.
So instead focusing on controlling the lowering and forcefully pushing back up.
Another issue is the hips.
You can see in this video. Even with added weight. I'm not lowering my hips down to the floor. This would shorten range of motion even more.
I think of chest to floor and hips up.
No half reps, no cheating. Just full focus on pushing up.
Whether you are performing an angled, box or push up. The technique regarding the push should remain the same.
Prioritise that pushing up and don't yank that lowering. You'll only beat your joints up in the long run
