Hey, Men's Health MVP member. You probably first learned the humble pushup way back in gym class—but have you been harnessing this exercise essential to its full potential?
Physical fitness isn’t just about lifting weights, after all. It’s also about how strong you are relative to your body weight, according to Martin Rooney, P.T., C.S.C.S., author of Ultimate Warrior Workouts. That’s why he has his athletes in training perform bodyweight tests. If they struggle, he knows that they need to either gain strength or lose weight.
A perfect bodyweight test to help you determine your overall strength and fitness level? The classic pushup. Researchers at the University of Athens found that the standard pushup forces your upper body to lift 66 percent of your body weight.
Now if you’re like most people, you might think the pushup is just a chest exercise, but that’s only part of its benefit. Truth is, pushups are the most efficient exercise for time-strapped guys who want to shape up (that’s all of us!). This do-anywhere, no-equipment-required move works your arms and shoulders; strengthens your back, core, and chest; and also tones your butt and legs.
And there’s more: A recent Canadian study shows that adding pushups to your regular fitness regimen is a highly effective way to train your abs too. The reason: During a pushup, your core muscles have to work overtime to help you maintain proper posture.
Of course, you’ll only reap all of these great total-body benefits if you’re doing the exercise correctly. That’s why we enlisted the guidance of training experts to help you get the most out of this move. Use their cues to test your pushup potential, master perfect form, and grow your muscles.
DOWNLOAD YOUR PUSHUP POWER PLAN HERE
And remember, as an MVP, you can use your exclusive members-only discount to our online shop to get much more from Men’s Health.
