GET-PHYTICAL

A  push - up  (or press-up) is a common calisthenics exercise performed in a prone position by raising and lowering the body using the arms. It is also a great exercise that increases the muscle mass of the upper body and shape. Yet, push-pu is the most abused exercise. DON’T  be afraid to start on your knees if you don’t have a lot of upper-body strength. To assume the proper position, get into plank with your hands underneath your shoulders and your legs fully extended behind you, back straight, then drop your knees to the floor. Your body should make a straight line from your knees through your hips to your shoulders and head. DO  perform partial reps in a full push-up position, increasing your range of motion as you get stronger until you are able to come all the way to the floor without losing form. Do as many full reps as you can, then drop to your knees and do more reps to failure. DO  actively press away from the ground with your hands and sprea...

Check out the ways you can build more muscle and make your pushup workout more productive. 1. Brace Your Core To avoid rounding your spine and doing “banana back” pushups, try squeezing or "bracing" your core. Imagine that you're going to get punched in the belly. Naturally, you’ll flex to guard. Bracing reduces the risk of injury by enforcing a neutral spine and engages your core, making the pushup of a full body exercise. 2. Squeeze Your Glutes Your glutes are the one of biggest muscle groups in your body and often times the most inactive. By squeezing your glutes you will  protect your lower back, improve posture, provide full body tension and help maintain a neutral spine. 3. Pack Your Elbows A common tendency during pushups is to flare your elbows wide. Despite its prevalence, this mistake can lead to shoulder and rotator cuff issues. Instead, pack your elbows in towards your sides, trying to have less space between your armpits. “Stack” your joints...

The Latissimus dorsi is Latin for “broadest muscle of the back,” Latissimus meaning “broadest,” and dorsum meaning “the back.” The lats are one of the biggest muscles of the back and are responsible for scapular retraction, internal rotation of the shoulder joint, extension, adduction, and transverse extension. The lats are a large, flat triangular muscle that attaches at the spine (from mid back all the way down to hip area) and run underneath the armpit, attaching to the humerus. The lats are the biggest and most powerful muscles of the back, and the primary muscle responsible for a wide, V-shaped back.  Wide-Grip Pull-Up  Wide-grip pull-ups are one of the best back exercises you can do, and they hit the lats especially hard. Grip the pull-up bar with an extra wide grip and hands pronated (palms facing out). As you do your pull-up, keep your elbows flared out, so you minimize biceps involvement and maximize lat activation. As you get stronger in this movement, t...