10 Secrets to the Perfect Pushup Part 3

8. Inhale down, exhale up

The benefit: You can use your breath to help you push yourself further and harder. Try it right now: Exhale all of the air from your lungs, says De Wispelaere. "Feel how your core muscles contracted to help you force out the last bit?" Like blocking your feet together, that tension in your core can help you amplify your stability and pushing power for better, stronger reps.

How to do it: As you lower towards the ground, take a deep breath in. As you push up, quickly exhale as much air as possible. Repeat with every repetition during slow and controlled sets.

9. Pull your chest to the floor

The benefit: Thinking about leading with your chest allows you to avoid both head bobbing and sagging hips. Pulling your chest towards the floor prevents you from just using gravity to lower you to the ground—therefore performing only half of the work, says De Wispelaere.

How it works: Get into a solid pushup position. As you lower, focus on using your lats and upper back to control your downward movement to pretend as if you're pulling yourself towards the floor.

And Finally

10. Lift the body as one solid unit

The benefit: When you get tired, it's easy to slip into bad form by arching or rounding your back. "But all of the cues that matter at the top of the pushup, also matter at the bottom," says De Wispelaere. Prevent your form from faltering by pushing your body away from the floor if it's a board. It will help you to keep the muscles from your head to your toes engaged as one rock-solid unit.

How it works: Do not let any muscles relax at the bottom of your pushup. Keep everything tight and imagine yourself as a solid tabletop hinging at the feet upwards from the floor.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/10-secrets-perfect-pushup?cid=NL_DailyDoseNL_-_06162015_SecretsToPerfectPushup_Module1