Sorry, But Push-Ups On Your Knees Aren’t Actually Making You Stronger

“If you’re not tensing your whole body, you are risking overloading different muscle groups like your shoulders, delts and chest,” Men’s Health’s fitness director, Todd Liubinskas explains. “This can also put pressure on your lower back – especially if you’re prone to arching.”

At risk of being the bearer of bad news, it’s also not all that effective if you’re aim is to eventually nail push-ups on your toes. This is because the modified version only works the upper body, while full push-ups require arm strength, quad strength, glute strength and a powerful core to support the lower back and hips.

“Technique is so important here,” Todd continues. “It’s so much more beneficial to do three push-ups with correct form than 30 with bad form.”

So what is the best way to progress, you ask?

“Try pushing up from your knees to your elbows, then curl your toes under until you’re in the table-top position,” Todd recommends. “Then, lower yourself down to the ground slowly. This variation focuses on eccentric load and improves your strength faster, while minimising your risk of injury.”

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