And it is not to start on your knees.
When you can’t do a push-up, it is recommended by a lot to drop down to your knees. Although this is a much easier way to do a modified push-up, at the end of the day you aren’t doing yourself any favors. A push-up is not only an upper-body exercise, it actually works the whole body. When you are on your knees, you basically take the whole lower half of your body out of the equation, including your core. Your core strength has a lot to do with how effective you can be at performing a push-up. Since dropping to your knees is a no-go, here are four steps that will effectively progress you to doing your first push-up in no time.
4 Steps to Doing Your First Push-up
Mastering a Plank
Knowing how to do a plank and to do it well is a great step in building to a push-up. Practice holding a plank both on your hands and your forearms. This will help to build your core and shoulder strength, as well as stamina.
Incline
Instead of dropping to your knees, the key here is to master being able to move your body weight. The best way to practice moving your body weight, how your body moves in a push-up is to keep that position if you can. You can do this by putting your body into an incline position. That way some of your body weight is taken off of your shoulders and chest, but still maintaining the push-up position. Start practicing by putting your hands on a box or bench or something to help elevate your upper body off of the ground.
Get Horizontal
When you can do about 15 push-ups in a row on your elevated surface, then find a surface that is just a bit closer to the ground. Again, practice your push-ups. Once you can do about 15 at this height, then move closer to the ground yet. Repeat this process until you are horizontal on the ground and get to practicing.
Before you know it you will be beating those boys with all of the push-ups you can complete, way beyond that first push-up.
