8 ways to make push-ups for beginners

Pumps are very popular bodyweight bodybuilding exercises. They have the advantage of being able to be made anywhere and do not require equipment.

This type of exercise knows a ton of variants that allow to develop the shoulders, the pectorals, the triceps, the abs and many other muscles because the pumps are done in a movement that solicits the whole body.

Here are 8 types of pumps, from the easiest to the most difficult. They are very affordable for beginners but also for girls wishing to get back in shape.

Make sure before doing push-ups, warm up. Do short stretches of 5 to 10 seconds and arm movements to reduce the risk of injury and have muscles ready for more activity.

1: make wall pumps or vertical pumps

This is the first step if you have trouble making basic pumps because these pumps will reduce the weight that the muscles must support.

Procedure

Place your hands on a wall with a width slightly larger than the width of the shoulders. Spread the feet slightly and lift your heels. Keep your legs and back straight. You will lean forward by inhaling and maintaining a straight line from head to toe. Now you will straighten your arms by exhaling to return to the standing position.

2: Kneeling pumps

We will see 2 variants to make kneeling pumps.

1st variant

Place yourself in the quadrupedian position. Align your hands with your shoulders and knees well aligned with your hips. You'll just flex your arms as you inhale and you regrow as you exhale.

2nd variant

Place yourself as the first variant. This time preferably on a carpet or cushion. Put your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Now you're going to reposition your knees backwards so that you create an alignment of your body from your knees, your back and your head. 

Make sure you don't arch your back and keep your abs sheathed. You will bend your elbows and lower your body to the ground. Lower yourself until your chest touches or approaches the ground. By holding your head with your spine, you will go up by pushing on your arms exhaling until you return to the initial position.

3: Inclined pumps

You can choose the height where you will put your hands to make inclined pumps.

Procedure

Keep your hands under your shoulders and arms outstretched with a width slightly larger than the width of the shoulders. You will inspire by lowering your body until your chest touches the support. Tighten your buttocks slightly to help keep your spine and hips aligned. Then exhale while you push until your arms are in full extension. Start with a table and then a chair and gradually you will get to make classic push-ups.

4: Conventional pumps

Procedure

Put yourself in a board position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders. Place them with a width slightly greater than the width of the shoulders. Tiptoe to stabilize the lower body. Remember to sheath your abs well. Make sure to align your legs and back. 

You will start lowering the body by inhaling slowly until your chest approaches the ground unless you are beginners and in this case, do according to your possibilities. Keep your back straight and head in the body alignment. Now you're going to go up exhaling until you get back to the original position.

You can of course change the position of your hands, which will allow you to make push-ups by working different muscles (see video).

5: Shoulder tap pumps

Procedure

As with conventional pumps, put yourself on the ground in the board position. Place your hands with a spacing slightly larger than the width of the shoulders. Align your legs, hips, back and head well. 

Lower your body by inhaling. Now you're going to push up exhaling and quickly you're going to tap your right shoulder with your left hand or the other way around leaning slightly to the side and then put your hand back to the ground and do the same with the other shoulder.

Making "shoulder tap" pumps will work your triceps, your pectorals, your deltoids, your abs and especially your obliques. It will also allow you to improve your balance.

6: The "hand tap" pumps

As with the previous exercise, unlike tapping on your shoulders, you will tap on your hands. By tapping on your hand or shoulders as for the previous exercise, your muscles will be in isometric contraction. That is to say, your muscles will be contracted while you are not in motion and this short break is a great way to develop your strength.

7: Single arm pumps

As for the previous 2 exercises, this time, during your ascent, you will send your green arm forward. This will create isometric work as well.

8: Single leg pumps

You're going to do basic pumps. When you climb, you will stretch your leg above the ground to make it parallel to the ground. This will add instability, which will allow you to work more on your abs.

When to switch from one variant to another?

Once you know how to do 20 push-ups or 5 sets of 4 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest between each series, you can move on to the next variant.

Last words

When you go for push-ups, keep your body straight, do not focus on the upper body leaving your buttocks up and be careful not to arch in order to avoid pain the next day. Pumps must be a movement of the whole body. So pay attention to your legs and glutes coming down at the same time as the upper body.

Also, remember to breathe well in order to optimize the gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide. It will also make you perform better. Inhale by bending your arms and exhale by stretching them out.

Also, be careful to go down well when bending your arms to make push-ups. You can, if you have trouble, go down less, the exercise will then be less effective and will put less strain on the muscles.