4. Draw your shoulders back
The benefit: Having your shoulders shrugged up around your ears puts your neck and upper back in a compromised position. "Not only are they not working to keep your upper body as one rock-solid unit, but it's also putting you at risk for injury, since movement in your shoulders when you perform the exercise will push your neck around," he explains.
How to do it: Pull your shoulders down and away from your ears and toward your feet. Then engage your back muscles by pretending as if you're trying to draw your shoulder blades together so they meet in the middle.
How to do it: Pull your shoulders down and away from your ears and toward your feet. Then engage your back muscles by pretending as if you're trying to draw your shoulder blades together so they meet in the middle.
5. Pull your palms to your toes
The benefit: It's easy to allow your torso to sag or bow, especially when you're performing a lot of reps or you don't have a mirror to check your form. "But this cue actually helps you contract your core—like a mini crunch—enough to keep your back flat and your torso stable," says De Wispelaere
How to do it: After your upper body is fully in position. Try to pull your hands towards your feet by clenching your core.
How to do it: After your upper body is fully in position. Try to pull your hands towards your feet by clenching your core.
6. Clench your glutes
The benefit: Your glutes play a vital role in performing a pushup, even though it might seem only like an upper-body exercise. "Squeezing them helps you lock your hips into place so your body can form one straight line from your heels to the top of your head," explains De Wispelaere. It will help take stress off of your lower back, reducing your risk for injury, and activate your core, making the pushup as much of an abs exercise as the plank.
How to do it: Get into a pushup position with your glutes relaxed. Feel how your lower back is being pulled towards the floor? Now squeeze your glute muscle as hard as possible to feel your hips rotate into place and remove the stress from your spine.
How to do it: Get into a pushup position with your glutes relaxed. Feel how your lower back is being pulled towards the floor? Now squeeze your glute muscle as hard as possible to feel your hips rotate into place and remove the stress from your spine.
7. Pull your feet together
The benefit: Even though you're not standing flat on your feet, you still need them to form a firm base of support. "Pulling tightly toward each other allows you to transfer energy from your lower body, through your tensed muscles, into your core and upper body, amplifying your strength from head to toe," he says.
How to do it: Make sure your feet are touching. Then press them together by pretending like you’re trying to crack a nut between your ankles. trying to draw your ankles as close as possible to each other. You should feel the muscles in your legs activate and tense.
How to do it: Make sure your feet are touching. Then press them together by pretending like you’re trying to crack a nut between your ankles. trying to draw your ankles as close as possible to each other. You should feel the muscles in your legs activate and tense.
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